Flamebird, a sequel to Fledgling
by kdsch123
Summary: 4th in the Pieces series. Legends are born from tragedy. Clark, Chloe and Kara are there to witness the birth of one of DC's most legendary teams.
1. Night Call

Flamebird

Kara Kent sat up in her bed and looked at her alarm clock. The room around her was dark, and the red numbers gave off the only light. 3:00 am. The sound had been unmistakable, though. Music, the song Kara had assigned to Bruce when organizing Clark's cell phone seemed to echo through the empty house. Stepping over Krypto, who had grown from small puppy to lanky adolescent in record time, Kara made her way downstairs on bare feet. The dog grunted, his sleep barely disturbed. Her steps were silent, a trick taught to her by Bruce Wayne, and Kara slipped down the stairs undetected. Clark was sitting at the kitchen table, head in his hands in a pool of light that spilled from the lamp above him. His cell phone sat on the table, and it rang again, and Kara heard the unmistakable sound again. It was Bruce's ring. Clark answered, rising from the chair and moving outside, seemingly unaware of Kara's presence. Intrigued, Kara made her way to the screen door. It was a fact that she could listen to Clark's conversation and not leave her room, but Kara leaned against the door, waiting for Clark to speak.

"I understand." He said, and Kara could see her cousin looking up at the stars in the sky above him. "Is he in any danger?" Kara squinted, straining to hear the voice on the other end of the conversation.

_"As of this minute? No, he's not in any danger. The culprit was perfectly content to leave things as they are, for now. He's hurt, though, broken arm, fractured ribs. Alfred has made him at home here at the mansion while I investigate."_ Kara smiled to herself, thinking of Bruce's very unwelcome houseguest. Bruce didn't sound happy. _"Have you told her yet?"_

Kara watched as Clark shook his head. "No, Bruce I haven't. I didn't want to until you were sure. She's sleeping…or supposed to be sleeping." Clark turned, and saw his cousin standing in the kitchen doorway, a long shadow in blue pajamas and wild white blonde hair. "Kara is here, Bruce. I'll talk to her and call you back." He said protectively, and Kara sighed. Here we go again, she thought, watching Clark as he seemed to take the measure of her, as if unsure she was old enough to talk to Bruce on the phone by herself.

_"I'll do it, Clark. Just put her on the phone."_ Bruce said, and Kara felt a cold shudder travel up her back. Clark walked up to Kara and opened the screen door, handing her the phone and then going to sit down on the porch swing. Kara put the phone to her ear, pushing her hair away from her face as the early summer wind blew it in her eyes.

_"Listen Boss, there's a situation and I need your help."_ Bruce's voice was clipped and serious. _"It's about Dick. His family was killed tonight during their farewell performance at the Gotham Arena."_

"NO." Kara gasped, her long legs giving way as she slid down the doorframe to sit on the floor. "Bruce, no…."

_"Yes, Kara. Now listen. Dick's staying with me for now, and he's in pretty bad shape. I already talked to Martha and she said you could stay with me in Gotham City for the summer. I'm sending the plane for you in the morning, so you, Clark and Chloe can get here. . Lois is flying out from Wichita tomorrow, too. Do you hear me, Kara?"_

"I hear you." Kara replied. "Can I talk to Dick?"

"_The pain medication the doctor prescribed knocked him out. Dick's out cold right now. He needs the rest, Kara. But you can help him. He trusts you, and Dick needs everyone he can trust around him right now." _Bruce's voice caught, and Kara wanted to hug him.

"I'm not waiting for the morning. Clark and Chloe can bring my things. I will be there immediately." She scrambled to her feet. "Bruce?"

"_Yes, Boss?"_

"Thank you for telling me yourself." Kara said simply, handing the phone back to Clark. She glared at Clark and moved away to her room, throwing things a backpack. She heard Clark make his way up the steps, and felt his blue green eyes watching her."You might as well say what you are thinking."

"I'm thinking you should wait until morning, when Chloe and I can go with you." Clark said, watching Kara stuff belongings into the backpack. "I'm thinking you don't even know where Gotham City is. And, I'm thinking whatever you are thinking about me is wrong." She looked up at him, and felt her anger at Clark vanish. He was right, he always was, Kara sighed.

"You just treat me like a baby." Kara said quietly. "I'm older than you. It doesn't look that way, and I know that it isn't that way anymore, but it's true." She turned and looked at Clark. "I can go to Gotham City on my own."

"Kara…" Clark started to say something and then stopped. He sighed, and nodded before he spoke again. "Chloe and I will still leave in the morning. If you want to go, go ahead."

She crossed the room and kissed Clark's cheek. "Thank you, Clark. I knew you'd understand." Kara went to her wall of maps and took down the one that she'd marked Dick's tour locations on. A huge gold star marked Gotham, and Clark smiled as she folded the map and put it in her pocket. She'd not need the map now, of course, but her having it made Clark feel better.

By 5:30 am, Kara was gone, flying east toward the rising sun. Clark sat down alone on the porch, soon to be joined by Shelby and a yawning Krypto. He'd called Chloe and she trudged over from her parents house in her pajamas, a large mug of coffee in her hand. It had been a whole new world for them, being neighbors this way.

"Hey." She said, blinking at him sleepily. "Did Kara go?"

"Just now." Clark rose and kissed the top of Chloe's head. "We have to be ready soon too."

"I can't believe it. Clark, who would do such a thing?" Chloe asked, looking up at Clark sadly. "Poor Dick."

"I know. Maybe we can help Bruce figure it out. He's been out all night, trying to pick up a trail." Clark and Chloe walked back to the porch steps and sat down. "Dick is with him at Wayne Manor." Clark sighed.

"Well that's something anyway." Chloe said. "If anyone is after Dick, they won't dare try anything at Bruce's house."

Flying. Kara had only just discovered the power but she adored it, feeling the air as it blew her hair back. The sun was being born in the East, and from here, she could see it shining on the ocean. The cool mist that made up Earth's clouds brushed against her cheeks like a million kisses, and Kara was thrilled, in spite of the miserable circumstances surrounding her independent flight. Kara took mental inventory of her knapsack. She had plenty to hold her until Chloe arrived. She saw the spires of Gotham City and turned north, following the bay until she found the solitary manor on the rocky hill. Wayne Manor overlooked Gotham Bay majestically dwarfing other grand homes that tried to be its neighbors. Kara's first impression was that the place seemed a little sad, a lot gloomy and very serious, much like it's owner. She landed in the rose garden, and stooped to sniff at a newly opened yellow rose, closing her eyes joyfully. The rose garden hinted at joy hidden inside the somber Bruce Wayne, and Kara adored it.

"Miss Kara?" A clipped British accent made her look up and Kara smiled brightly. Alfred Pennyworth stood there, holding garden snippers and a flat basket, and wearing as surprised expression as his reserved demeanor would allow. "Master Bruce informed us that you would be here this morning. Where is Master Clark?"

"He'll be here later, Mr. Alfred." She said politely, and Alfred nodded.

"Please, miss, I'm Alfred. Not 'Mr' Alfred. And you can go right in. Cook has arrived and is making breakfast for young Master Dick. Why don't you go in and make yourself comfortable? I'll take you to your room when I get done out here."

Kara nodded, and made her way into the house, through the kitchen door. Dick sat at the table, a long, well scrubbed pine table that was as old as the house itself, his dark hair a birds nest and his face hollowed and pale. Kara dropped her backpack and Dick looked up. He didn't speak, but nodded, great fat tears leaking from his inky blue eyes. A small smile flickered across his lips, and Dick looked back at Kara, a flush brightening his cheeks.

"What kept you, Kara?" He whispered, standing. She crossed the kitchen and hugged him gently, thinking of the ribs and broken arm. Dick sagged a little in her arms, not at all afraid to let her bear his weight. He'd known her secret since the beginning, practically, just before his family left on their tour, Kara had taken him to the Fortress of Solitude and showed him her home world. It had explained a lot, Dick had thought at the time, but now, just the smell of her, softly floral and spicy made him feel calmer and more together.

"I came as fast as I could." Kara said, looking up into his face. "Clark almost made me fly on the plane with him."

Dick pulled her closer with his good arm. "I'm glad you didn't do what he wanted, Kara. It's all so strange. Just yesterday, I was in my mom's kitchen, eating potatoes and eggs and worried about Tina not making her jump in time. Crazy, right?"

"No…" Kara said, "The day I last saw my parents, it was my Dedication day. I fought with my mother about my dress, and the boy I was dedicated to smelled of rotten griknar." Dick frowned at her, and she waved a hand. 'Griknar is a kind of marine lifeform that throws itself on land when it's ready to die. The shores of Krypton are, well, were, polluted with them at the right seasons."

Dick laughed and kissed Kara quickly. "I'm glad you're here, Kara. I don't think I could have gotten through this without you."

"I'll always be there for you, no matter what." Kara said, resting her cheek on his shoulder.


	2. Lost

Chloe closed her eyes as the sleek jet Bruce had sent for them lifted off the ground. It seemed too much to contemplate, so recently having her own family restored to her, that Dick Grayson lost his own so tragically. Clark had been somber, once again the theme of death more than occupying his thoughts. Chloe wished there was a way to make it go away, to ease his mind and comfort him, but there was none. Instead, Clark had invested all of his worry on to the deceptively delicate shoulders of his cousin.

"Earth to Clark?" Chloe said, opening her eyes. "Where are you right now?"

"Thinking Kara had the right idea flying herself there. We could have been in Gotham already." Clark replied dully, his eyes not moving from the window. Chloe sighed and Clark smiled reluctantly. "She accused me of treating her like a baby."

"Accused? Clark, you are convicted of that." Chloe smiled, leaning over to take his hand in her own. "You've been the posterboy for overprotective. "

"I'm just afraid for her, Chloe." Clark admitted. "When it was just me, I figured that if people knew, they'd try and hurt me, and I was scared. But if that happened to Kara… she's so open and vulnerable. I don't think I could be responsible for what happened to anyone who hurt her once I got my hands on them."

"Clark." Chloe squeezed his hand. "That's love. She feels the same way about you."

Clark nodded, holding Chloe's hand in his own. "Look at Dick. He's alone in the world now. Who's going to be looking out for him now? It's not like Bruce is going to let him stay forever."

"Clark?" Chloe looked at him quizzically. "You aren't suggesting that Dick come to live at the farm, are you?"

"Well," Clark smiled sheepishly. "He has no place else to go, and…"

"Clark, not a good idea." Chloe shook her head. "I know you want to help, but maybe the best way in this case is keeping in touch, being Dick's friend. The last thing you need is Kara's little boyfriend living at the farm."

Clark sighed. "I want to do something, Chloe. I wasn't there…if I had been there I could have stopped it somehow…"

"You can't be everywhere, Clark and people are going to die. That doesn't make it your fault." Chloe kissed Clark's hand. "You can't be responsible for the whole world."

"I feel like I should be, Chloe." Clark looked back at the clouds through the window.

"Hey." Chloe slid out of the leather seat and knelt beside Clark, looking up at him. "Stop beating up the guy I love, will you? I can't stand to see this."

Clark smiled. "He's really easy to pound on, you know. Big dumb alien and all." Chloe rolled her eyes, grinning, and Clark leaned down to kiss her nose. "I love you too, Chloe. Thank you." He looked around restlessly. "Might as well find something to do then. Is this the plane with the Xbox? We've got time 'til we get to Gotham City. Let's see if I have what it takes to be a Jedi."

"You've got what it takes." Chloe replied, moving back into her seat and picking up her discarded laptop to resume her research on the Graysons. "Superman."

Karen Starke stretched, opening her eyes. She loved mornings. What Karen hated was dreaming. In dreams she saw things that she couldn't comprehend and that Daddy could not always explain. Getting out of bed, Karen walked to her vanity and looked at her reflection. Yesterday, she was so surprised at how much older she was than the night before that she had melted the mirror with blasts of heat lasers from her eyes. Today, her reflection was the same as yesterday, and Karen nodded. Daddy had said she was now almost seventeen. Wheat-gold hair, cut short, wide dark blue eyes and a curvy figure that had threatened to burst out of her mother's tailored clothes. The shopping trip for new clothes had been all Karen needed to know that she was not a freak at all, but very much approved of by every male who happened to walk past her. Abilities had come up quickly, Karen remembered being small and lifting Daddy's car to look for a lost doll. They had moved immediately after that, Mom pretty upset about leaving her vegetable garden behind. The new house was more secluded, which was just as well, because Karen had discovered she could fly after tripping in the treehouse and falling over the edge. Karen had held her arms out, and instead of even coming near the ground, she had soared in a long arc over the tall trees, crowing like Peter Pan. Mom had started calling her Tinkerbell after that, cutting Karen's thick hair short making her look and feel more pixie like. Home-schooled, Karen remembered reading "Peter Pan" as a little girl and loving every moment of it, and often wished she could fly away with the Lost Boys for some great adventure in Neverland. Her mother had moved her on to other books as quickly as Karen could devour them, but "Peter Pan" was still a favorite. The stack of books at the door were a testament to her ability to learn. The subject matter was varied, and Karen eagerly devoured each one. She had learned chemistry and physics working with her father in his basement lab, and spoke several languages fluently. Karen dressed in a flash, scooping her cat, Streaky, from the bed on her way down to breakfast. He purred loudly as he relaxed in her grip, content that after being released from her embrace, breakfast would be waiting. This was their morning routine.

The thing was that Karen could not account for the lost time between ten and seventeen. She saw things on television, knew that girls went through 'changes' at about eleven or twelve, but Karen had no memory of ever experiencing that. She simply went to bed a ten year old, and woke up a seventeen year old girl. She assumed things happened simply because there was no real variance in anything. The same music was popular today as had been when she was ten, which seemed strange, and Mom's clothes were oddly fashionable for being nearly eight years old.

"Morning, Tink." Mom smiled, setting the usual breakfast of a cheese omelette, toast and fresh fruit at Karen's place. "Sleep well? You look tired."

"I'm fine, Mom." Karen replied, setting the cat down near his bowls and filling one up with milk. "I was just thinking."

"About?" Mom asked, sipping her coffee. "I can't answer your science questions anymore, you know that. Dad can barely keep up with you."

"No, this is a girl question, I guess." Karen poked at her omelette. "Have I ever, well, you know…" She looked at her mother. "I don't remember going through puberty, Mom. But look at me." Nancy Starke sighed, wiping her hands on the green and white dishtowel. Karen held her arms out at her sides, and opened her indigo eyes wide. "I look like one of those girls on MTV."

"God forbid." Mom crossed herself out of an old habit. "You are, well endowed, sweetheart." She crossed her arms over her own thin frame and smiled. "Grandmother Starke was like you, tall and curvy. I'll have to get the pictures out. I used to wish I'd look like you, but the women in my family were all rail thin and curveless."

"I guess." Karen nodded. "Do I have my drivers license?"

"No." Mom smiled. "Dad and I were just thinking it's time, too. We can start practicing today."

"Good." Karen took a bite of omelette and chewed thoughtfully. "Mom?"

Nancy sighed. "What, sweetheart?" Once started, Karen could ask questions for hours, and Nancy, a social worker with a masters in child development would often find herself at a loss. These were the things she and her husband had not counted on when bringing Karen home, but Nancy wouldn't change a thing. Life had been wonderful since Karen had come to live with them.

"How come I have no friends?" Karen put her fork down. "What's wrong with me?"

"Nothing. Oh, nothing, honey." Nancy shook her head. "The truth is, you were sick as a baby, and Dad used one of his experiments to help you get well. We've just been so overprotective since then…didn't want you to get sick again." She reached out and cupped her daughters face with a long hand. "I couldn't stand to lose you."


	3. Benediction

The Grayson family funeral had all the traditional elements, matched bronze caskets, masses of floral arrangements and mourners in the vaulted gloom of the church, even the light from the glorious stained glass windows muted and soft. But, the circus world handles grief in it's own unique ways, so the formal air of the church was broken somewhat by the almost magical presence of those that had known the Graysons best, their peers. The effect was surreal - a clown in full face paint wearing a somber black suit, a theatrical flourish of black satin cape, indiscreet spangles on the bodice of a mourner's hastily reworked black dress, and the sudden miracle of Shubert's 'Ave Maria' as sung by a usually silent fire eater only added to the dreamlike fog Dick Grayson had been in. He sat in the front pew at Gotham City's glorious Saint Augustine Cathedral, holding his mother's well worn onyx and silver everyday rosary, numb and quiet in the stiff new suit Lois picked out for him. Aware of everything and feeling nothing, Dick rose to deliver the eulogy over his parents and sister, releasing Kara's soft cool hand as he left the pew.

As he walked up the aisle, Dick looked around him, remembering his mother's excitement at receiving communion here the other day, her dark hair covered in the old fashioned way. She had brought her fancy rosary with her that day, the one that Tina loved, with it's diamond like crystal beads. Dick looked at his mother's closed casket, and visualized the glistening drops of crystal gently laced through her hands. Tina had her coral beads, a gift from their distant Italian grandfather, a man they had never met, for her confirmation. He had died that year himself, in his sleep, Dick thought as he climbed into the shorter pulpit to address the congregation. Never shy, Dick felt his throat close as he looked out at the people who filled the church. Certainly, some were simply curious, but it seemed like every face was one that Dick could place, even the new Police Commissioner, Jim Gordon was there, with his red haired daughter, Barbara, seated near Bruce and Lois. Barbara leaned forward to whisper to Kara, who simply nodded, and kept her eyes on Dick. Clark and Chloe sat beside Kara, their hands linked. Lois, also, was watching Dick intently, her dark eyes encouraging. And where Clark was visibly touched by the entire situation, Bruce was stoic, calm. Dick didn't know what to make of his mysterious benefactor, either. It was clear that Bruce Wayne had taken a special interest in his welfare, but Dick could not figure why. Bruce's unreadable dark eyes were fixed on Dick, and when he nodded, almost imperceptably, Dick began to address the mourners.

"I want to thank you all," Dick said, after clearing his throat. "for being here today. My father would say that there was nothing he liked more than a packed house." Dick smiled a little, and the congregation also allowed a small wave of polite laughter to escape. "Mom would wonder where you were all going to eat after. And Tina, well, Tina probably would just be waiting for this all to be over, so she could go read." Again, a polite trill of laughter echoed through the sanctuary. "My friend Kara, who just lost her family earlier this year told me yesterday that it takes time for things to make sense again. She also told me that things still don't make sense for her, but I hope to follow her example in the days ahead of me. When we got to Gotham City last week, Mom brought Tina and I here for confession and mass. She was so excited. I didn't understand why until today, though. Mom said this cathedral felt like home, that she could feel God around her here. A week ago, I thought she was crazy. Today, I understood what she meant." Dick nodded, his eyes welling up with tears. "Dad felt that way about performing. I know I'll never be able to go into a circus again and not think of Dad, just like I'll never be able to go into a church again and not see Mom." He folded his paper, the carefully written words ignored. "All I ask, is that none of you forget them, please. If we all remember, then they won't really be gone, will they?" Dick looked up at the ceiling, taking a deep breath. "This is the place Mom said we were closest to God, so I want to ask Him something." The soft rustling of the priest's cassock behind him made Dick speak louder, more urgently, as if the clergyman would pull him from the pulpit, but instead, Dick saw the young priest nodding. "I want to ask Him why. Not just for me, but for Kara, for my new friends Bruce, Clark and Lois, who've all lost one or both of their parents, for all of you who've lost loved ones ever. I want to ask Him why all of us are left behind to feel like this, when we need the people we've lost the most." He shook his head sadly. "Mom always said that God doesn't answer in our way, but in His own. I hope she's right." Dick sighed and walked down the pulpit step to be blessed by the priest and make his way back to his seat. Kara smiled at him gently, sliding her hand into his. The congregation rose for the benediction, and the pall bearers, all circus performers, including Tina's boyfriend, the son of the Lion tamer, slowly carried each of the three caskets out of the church. Dick sighed, and followed, Kara at his side and Clark and Chloe behind him. Richard Anthony Grayson was just a few weeks short of his sixteenth birthday and he was an orphan. But, he wasn't alone. And for that small blessing, Dick was extremely grateful.

The cemetery was on the church grounds, an anomaly in the modern urban landscape, but Saint Augustine Cathedral had existed before Gotham City had surrounded it, and it's plots were not easy to obtain. Dick didn't know by what miracle that the crypt had appeared, but he had accepted it gratefully. Putting his mother and sister in the ground had so profoundly bothered him, and the last thing his free minded father would have wanted was to be trapped underground. The pall bearers set the caskets inside the crypt, and the priest moved before them, to begin the rites of interment, but Dick had stopped paying attention. A tall, haggard man had caught his attention, standing at the edge of the group of mourners, watching as the gates of the vault were shut with a clang. The clang made Dick look back, and when he turned again, the mysterious figure was gone.

The gaunt mourner had not gone unnoticed by Bruce Wayne. Making mental notes, Bruce already was compiling information to continue his investigation into the Grayson's murder, every tiny piece of evidence or lead too precious to discount. Between himself and Jim Gordon, the initial finding of accidental death was too pat, too easy, and therefore, was completely unacceptable. Bruce tapped Clark on the shoulder and gestured in the direction the stranger had disappeared in, and Clark nodded, scanning the graveyard until he was able to find the huddled figure, cowering behind a wide marble monument. Nodding, Clark broke away from the crowd, followed closely by Chloe. The man had sunk into a seated position behind the stone, listening to the priest and muttering his own prayers on a black and silver rosary similar to the one Dick carried. His clothes were dusty, and Clark found himself looking into the man's face, seeing traces of something familiar about him.

"Who are you?" Clark asked, and the man shook his head, and closed his eyes, clutching the rosary tighter in his long hands. Aware of Clark's intense glare, the man opened his eyes again and shook his head.

"Non capisca. Non parlo inglese." _I don't understand you. I don't speak English._

Chloe looked up at Clark questioningly. "Do you speak Italian?"

"I understand more than I can actually speak yet." Clark said, and Chloe smiled, folding her arms. "I can't help it, Chloe."

"I know. Well, let's try to make him understand." Chloe slid her own rosary into her pocket, another small legacy of Grandmother Sullivans, a green jade and silver set that Chloe always treasured. She knelt, smiling at the stranger, who only backed away, as if he would have become part of the heavy marble slab behind him. "We won't hurt you."

"Non li danneggeremo." Clark translated quickly and the man nodded, his eyes wide.

"Non. Non. Ma quel ragazzo... è pericoloso me. Siamo tutti che siano lasciati. Il vendetta non sarà eccedenza fino a che non siamo entrambi guasti." _You won't. She won't. But that boy...he is dangerous to me. We are all that is left. The vendetta will not be over until we are both dead._

Clark and Chloe looked at each other in shock. "Che vendetta?" _What vendetta? _Clark asked, and the man clamped his mouth shut, shaking his head.

"He's not going to tell us, Clark." Chloe sighed. "Tell him that we'll keep him safe."

"Li aiuteremo. Proteggali. Dicaci di che siete impauriti." _We will help you. Protect you. Tell us who you are afraid of._ Clark relayed, and the man nodded, but did not open his eyes.

"L'uomo anziano. È quello che controlla la guerra fra la mia famiglia e che del ragazzo." _The old man. He's the one that controls the war between my family and that of the boy._

"Ora venuto con noi. Vorremmo affinchè ci diciamo che tutti sapeste."

Come with us now. We would like for you to tell us all you know. Clark said, and the man eyed him cautiously and then nodded, getting to his feet.

"Theese..theese way." He told them, pointing with a long hand. "We go…"

"Yes, we'll leave here with you. You'll be safe." Clark said, in English, and the man nodded again.

"Where?" Chloe said. "Where can we possibly take him, Clark?"

"To Bruce's." Clark replied simply.


	4. Reliquary

If Bruce could have set bodyguards on Dick, he couldn't have chosen outwardly less threatening ones than Kara Kent and Barbara Gordon. Jim Gordon never lost an opportunity to brag about his 'Barbie" but she was smart level headed and had a watchful nature that Bruce appreciated. Barbara, just fourteen herself, was a computer whiz and quite the little martial artist. Those skills, paired with Kara's abilities and her uncanny ability to read people made them a powerful and trustworthy combination. The girls had become fast friends yesterday, and Dick, while never faltering in his interest in Kara, had found plenty of common ground with Jim Gordon's witty and adventurous daughter. The best part was that Dick never would suspect he was being guarded. The trio moved in a group through the post funeral reception given by the owners of the circus in the Grayson's memory at their hotel, an elegant and tasteful event that seemed distinctly uncircuslike. Kara had already been approached by the Grayson's manager, fast talk about modeling contracts and movies pouring from his fat face, but Kara had gazed at him sweetly and told him she started high school back in Smallville this fall and couldn't miss cheerleading tryouts, perfectly sincere and without guile. Barbara had nearly choked on her lemonade, pulling Kara away to safety. Bruce's lip twitched at the corner, a secret smile, and Lois caught his arm, her dark hazel eyes searching his face.

"What are you grinning about?" She asked, sipping at her soda. "You look like the cat that ate the canary."

Bruce rolled his eyes. "You are always trying to figure out what I'm thinking. Wouldn't it be easier to just ask me what you want to know?" Lois cocked her head and grinned broadly.

"What fun is that?" Lois replied, taking Bruce's free hand in hers. "But, now that you mention it, what were you thinking?"

"I was wondering what Clark and Chloe found out about that guy in the cemetery today." Bruce said, and Lois nodded, frowning in Dick's direction. "And laughing about Kara's career options."

"Modeling, I heard." Lois nodded. "She'd make great money, but Clark would explode." She turned back to Bruce. "Speaking of Smallville, no word from him or Chloe yet, huh? That can't be good. I'm calling Chloe." Lois took out her phone, and Bruce covered it with his hand.

"Not here, Lois. Too many people around. If something comes up, Clark will call me. Meantime, we circulate, keep our eyes open." Bruce gently took the phone from her and dropped it back in her open purse. "Okay?"

"Okay." Lois nodded, her face serious. "Do you really think the murderer would show up here?"

Bruce nodded, his gaze going back to where Kara, Dick and Barbara were standing talking to some of Dick's circus friends. "It's possible, if they think the rest of the world believes the Grayson's death was an accident. My guess is that it's someone connected to the circus somehow."

"Why would they do that to one of their own?" Lois' question made Bruce turn away from watching Dick to stare down into her face. "Look at them, Bruce. They are all torn up over this. They were all family to each other."

"Some familes are dysfunctional, Lois." Bruce replied quietly, refraining from kissing her. Public displays of affection would never, ever be something Bruce indulged in.

"I get that." Lois replied. "What I don't get is this." She cocked her head and looked out at the group. "They're all so tight. Someone planning to kill anyone couldn't be a secret for long. I have a hunch…." Lois began, and was interrupted by her cellphone ringing. Time Warp. "It's Chloe." Bruce nodded, and Lois pulled her phone from her purse. "Let's do the Time Warp Agaaaainnn!" The phone chirped, and Bruce felt the other corner of his mouth draw up in a whole smile.

"Chloe? What's up?" Lois asked.

Chloe looked at the man she and Clark had found in the cemetery. Bruce's cook had defrosted soup, and he sat hunched over his bowl, devouring the steaming hot beef barley soup in large, loud slurps, punctuated by ravenous bites of homemade bread and further enhanced with grunts of "Grazie tutto , tutto molto."

"We're at Wayne Manor. The graveyard visitor's name is Gianni Ludovici, and he told us that he's on the run." Chloe said briefly. "He's got a rosary similar to Isabella Grayson's though – the one Dick has now."

"Rosary?" Lois looked around. "Dick doesn't have it now, or it's in his pocket, because I can't see it." She looked over at Bruce, and he nodded, frowning, trying to remember. "I used to have Grandpa Sullivans, Connemara marble.."

"It's in your jewelry box at home, Lois." Chloe grinned. " Anyway, Alfred has convinced our friend Gianni to stay here, so when you guys get back, you can talk to him. But Clark is fairly convinced there's a connection between Gianni and Dick that is deeper than a circus rivalry."

"Is he? Sometimes Smallville is smarter than he looks, because I was thinking the same thing." Lois replied. "This thing is winding up anyway. We'll all head back as soon as we can."

"Good." Chloe sighed. "See you then." She hung up and turned around. Clark was eating soup with Gianni, companionably chatting with him in Italian. "They'll be coming back here soon. Has Gianni told you any more about the "old man"?" Chloe smiled at Gianni warmly, and he grinned back, nodding. He studied her for a moment, then got up, and found a bowl, ladling soup in it for Chloe. He came back to the large island in the center of the huge kitchen and set the bowl before Chloe gently. Gianni held out a spoon and mimed eating, and the pointed to Chloe, making his face even more gaunt by sucking his cheeks in. Chloe took the spoon, and Gianni bowed, blowing her a quick kiss. Message delivered, Gianni sat back down and devoted himself to his soup again.

Clark laughed. "Some, but not much. He's been more concerned about being here, about Dick's safety and apparently you not eating. You should try the soup, Chloe. It's good."

Chloe reached into her pocket and took out her grandmother's rosary and set it in front of Clark. "Why is my rosary different from Gianni's?"

Clark picked it up. "First, Chloe it's not why his is different than yours. It's that I'm almost 100 sure that Gianni's is identical to Dick's."

"Why is that so unusual? Black and silver rosaries are fairly common." Chloe said. "It's obvious your family isn't Roman Catholic, Clark."

"No, but Mom's grandmother was. I've seen her set of beads and it's different than yours, pearls I think. And that's what made me think of the connection. Great-grandmother Clark had a small vial on hers, with water in it from a shrine in France she visited on her honeymoon. Dick's has a vial too, but there is a black stuff inside. Gianni's has it too. Yours has this little medal here." Clark tapped the centerpiece medal gently.

"A vial of black stuff as the centerpiece. But what is it?" Chloe asked, and Gianni took out his rosary and handed it to Clark silently. Chloe came around the counter and studied the vial carefully. "Clark, this looks like…"

"I know what it looks like, Chloe." Clark nodded, and he looked up at Gianni. The man nodded, and pointed to his wrist. "It looks like blood."

"Giusto. Sangue. Come vecchio come mio famiglia. Un simbolo di perch‚ siamo morire presente. Un promemoria." Gianni told them, taking the rosary back. Correct. Blood. As old as my family. A symbol of why we are dying now. A reminder. "Fino a quando. Io tenere lo con me , il vecchio testamento dovere aspettare mio sangue verso essere versamento." As long as I keep it with me, the old man will have to wait for my blood to be spilled.

Clark and Chloe looked at each other, and Chloe slipped her hand into Clark's.

"Well, now what?" Chloe asked, and Clark shook his head. "This is setting off every level of my weird-o-meter, Clark and there isn't a meteor freak in sight. Carrying the blood of their ancestors around with them?"

"I don't know." Clark replied. "There has to be a reason for it."

Alfred quietly cleared his throat. "Master Clark, if I might be so bold as to suggest that carrying such articles, or possessing them is not completely alien to the history of the Roman Catholic church. Many people in the Middle Ages carried relics of saints, or possible relics, to protect them from harm." Alfred rose and quietly spoke to Gianni, who reluctantly handed the black and silver rosary to the Englishman. "This little reliquary may be more than just the blood of an ancestor, but a common ancestor."

"Why would a family tear itself apart like this, Alfred?" Clark asked, and Alfred smiled wisely, handing the sacred object back to Gianni, who received it and then crossed himself, kissing the small vial, then the cross.

"Why did Cain kill Abel? And Esau desire to slay his brother, Master Clark?" Alfred nodded. "History is full of such things, and we are witnessing the results right now." He placed a weathered hand on Gianni's shoulder and spoke to him again in quick and fluent Italian. Gianni nodded and rose, shuffling off to the servant's quarters. "Mr. Ludovici is going to rest in the old housekeeper's rooms. It's quite comfortable, and quite safe. But think about this, Master Clark, Miss Sullivan. Such vendettas that cut a family to pieces like this are seldom satisfied with two living members left, unless the one who holds the trust is stopped." Alfred bowed slightly. "Now, I'm going to go outside and get some of the new tomatoes in. If you will please excuse me." Alfred walked off toward the garden, leaving Clark and Chloe alone.

"A common ancestor." Chloe breathed. "Dear God, Clark…that's just wrong in so many ways."

"Alfred is right though, Chloe." Clark said, taking Chloe in his arms to hold her close. Both of them were a little shaken by this possibility. The whole concept was so far removed from the fantastic events of the previous months, but it still was disturbing. "We can figure out who the ancestor was, and how closely related Dick is to Gianni, but we still won't be able to stop it until we know who's giving the orders."

Chloe rested her head on Clark's chest. "It was so much easier when you could go to Jor-El and ask him."

"I can't go to Jor-El, Chloe." Clark said somberly. He held her close, and then realization caused a smile to break on his face. "But I can access the archive."

"The archive?' Chloe looked up at him. "But the Earth records aren't complete, you said. What makes you think it could tell you what you want to know?"

"Because it could scan this blood and match it to the records we do have." Clark began. "I'd have to leave though, to go to the Fortress."

Chloe frowned. "But Bruce has a supercomputer, and he can access information the good old fashioned way."

"By hacking." Bruce said from the kitchen door. "You have something?" He nodded. "Lois and the kids went up to the game room. We can talk."

"We need Dick's rosary." Clark told him. "We need to scan it and see if we can trace the DNA to a common ancestor with our graveyard guy."

"Common ancestor?" Bruce's expression grew dark. "It sounds medieval."

"That's it." Chloe snapped her fingers. "Medieval. Ludovici. Clark, Bruce…the common ancestor…what medieval family spent a lot of time killing each other off?"

"The Borgias." Bruce replied, frowning. "You're telling me that I have in my house the last remaining Borgias? That's ridiculous."

"I agree." Clark folded his arms. "But the concept is solid. If not the Borgias themselves…"

"Then a crime family who has aspirations.." Bruce finished. He looked at Chloe. "Not bad, Sullivan. Let's go to the 'cave and see what we can come up with."


	5. Belonging

Dick had changed out of the new suit and into a pair of well loved and well worn jeans and a t-shirt, hanging the suit up carefully. He took out his duffel bag and began to stuff his belongings into it. The circus would be leaving soon, and he had every intention of going with them. Bruce Wayne had been incredibly generous, and Dick figured that had more to do with the fact that he and the billionaire both cared about Kara. Not wanting anyone's charity, Dick had already talked to the owners of the circus and they were willing to take him on as a single act. It was for the best, really.

'Where are you going?" Kara's soft voice made Dick turn around fast. She had changed out of the navy blue dress she'd worn for the funeral, and Dick felt his breath catch. Kara was beautiful to him all the time, even now, in jeans and a very small baby blue t-shirt, she was enough to make him breathless.

"I'm going back to the circus. I can't stay here." Dick looked around. "It's like a cage with wall to wall carpeting and feather beds."

"A cage?" Kara asked. She pulled her white blonde hair over her shoulder, attempting to make it behave. "Bruce has made this your home."

"I don't have a home anymore." Dick said harshly, tossing the shiny dress shoes on top of his clean clothes. "My home died three days ago in Gotham Arena."

Kara nodded and sat down on the bed, taking the shoes out of the duffel bag. "My home died light years ago, and I have nothing left of them. Clark is all I have. I know what you are feeling, Dick."

"No. You. Don't." Dick snatched the shoes away from her, hating himself for the pain in her blue eyes. "You HAVE Clark. I have no one."

"And you have Bruce." Kara said quietly, brushing the loose dirt from the shoes off her lap. "and you have me."

"Come with me, Kara. What a team we'd be. The things you can do…" Dick began, and Kara stood, folding her arms over her chest, frowning. The family resemblance between Kara and Clark was undeniable now. "Besides, Bruce Wayne only gave me the place to stay because of you."

"Oh?" Kara's tone was dangerous. "Indeed? I didn't find out about your parents until Bruce called me. You were already here. I had no say in his giving you a place in his house."

"Forget that, Kara." Dick said, enchanted by his own idea of them running away together. "Come with me tonight." He reached over and touched her cheek. "I love you. We belong together. If we don't, you'll go back to Smallville, and I'll be on the road…"

"You are being ridiculous." Kara said, taking his hand in hers and ignoring his plea to run away with the circus. "Gotham is not far for me at all. We can see each other all the time."

"I'm not staying." Dick turned from her and zipped his bag shut. "You can't make me stay here. But you can leave with me now. Clark can't stop you."

"I can, but I won't stop you if you've made up your mind." Kara said, tears springing to her eyes. " But I'm not going with you."

Dick nodded. "If that's how you want it. I'm used to leaving girls behind. Happens in every town. Why should Smallville be any different?"

"Is that so?" Kara asked, moving in front of him to block the door. "Every town? A girl behind in every town?"

"Yep." Dick lied. Since Kara, he'd not even looked at another girl, but he wanted to force her to push him away, so he could leave without looking back. "Every town. One girl in Granville was really nice, and she…" Dick stopped, seeing Barbara Gordon staring at them over Kara's shoulder. "and Barbara. Did you think that she was just my friend? Really, Kara, sometimes you really are from another planet." Dick snarled at her, pushing past Kara as she blinked back tears of shock and pain. Barbara stammered in shock, shaking her head, her red hair pulled into a sleek pony tail.

"YOU ARE LYING." Kara hissed, turning on one heel to grab him by the hand. Dick was amazed. He could feel her anger, but also the incredible restraint in her grip. She forced him to turn around so she could look into his face. "You cannot lie to me. Whatever else you may do, you will NEVER lie to me."

"Kara…he never did…I didn't…" Barbara stammered, and Kara nodded at the other girl.

"I know you didn't, Barbara." Kara turned back to Dick. "Whatever you've done before you came to Gotham though…" She dropped his hand, looking at the red welt around his wrist in horror. "Go. Go away. And don't keep in touch. I never want to speak to you again." Her voice was cold, and it was as if she'd been transformed into ice. Tears poured down her cheeks freely, but her facial expression did not change.

Dick dropped his duffel bag and stared at her. "Kara…I'm…"

"You've done enough, stupid." Barbara snapped, going to Kara to put her arm around Kara. "God, do you need to make everyone miserable?" Barbara shook her head. "Come on, Kara. We'll go see if you can stay at my house tonight." Kara nodded and moved off with Barbara, not sparing Dick a backward glance. He slid to the floor, sitting down next to his bag, dropping his head down into his hands.

"Hey, are we playing air hockey or what?" Lois came around the corner and stopped, seeing Dick on the floor. "What's wrong?"

"I think Kara and I just broke up." Dick said, looking up at Lois. He was crying himself. Lois knelt beside him and sighed.

"Listen, you're all screwed up right now. She'll understand. Is that why you're packed?" Lois asked, and Dick shook his head.

"I was planning to leave, and she wanted to stop me. I first asked her to come with me, but she said no. Then I told her I'd been with other girls between Smallville and here. It's not true, Lois." Dick told the older girl and Lois sat down, folding her legs indian style. She slung an arm around his shoulder and rested her head against his for a moment.

"Oh boy." Lois said in her best older sister voice. "The person that invented the saying misery loves company must have been talking about you. Kara loves you, Dick. I know that. And the Kents don't give up on people they love so fast."

"No, it's over. I blew it." Dick said, standing. "I'll just go…"

"Not until you fix it with Kara, bonehead." Lois jumped to her feet and picked up Dick's duffel bag. "I'll hang on to this. And don't worry, I don't care about your tighty whities. I'll just put them back in the drawer I think they should go in. You are welcome here until Bruce tells you otherwise."

Dick nodded sadly and walked down the long corridor until he got to Kara's room. He could hear her crying inside, and he hated himself for hurting her so badly. Dick reached up and knocked twice. Barbara opened the door, and fixed him with an impatient stare.

"I want to talk to her." Dick said, and Barbara sighed.

"You'll only make it worse, you know." She said, stepping aside. "Kara, I'm going to call my dad and ask him about you staying at my house. I'll be back." Barbara walked past Dick and laughed. "Don't screw up."

Kara nodded, sitting up on her bed to stare at Dick. He walked into her room and closed the door. It was a delicate, feminine room, and Dick was surprised it was here at all in Bruce's lonely house.

"Hey." Dick said, waving weakly. "I'm …"

"No." Kara stood, wiping her face resolutely. "I'm sorry. I had no right to expect anything from you…we are not promised to each other. And by the standards of your culture, we are very young. I have no right to expect you to not see other girls."

"Kara." Dick hung his head. " There weren't any other girls, it's always just you…I'm an idiot."

"That's entirely beside the point." Kara said, a smile creeping over her lovely face. "When do you go?"

"Lois is unpacking for me, so I guess I'm staying." He shrugged and took a step nearer to her. He held out a hand to her, and Kara took it. "I don't think I can stand you being so upset with me."

Kara sighed. "You hurt me." She looked at him, as if this surprised her. "Because you wanted to."

"I know. I didn't mean any of it…" Dick said, pulling her closer. "I love you, Kara. I'm so sorry."

"Never do that again." Kara sniffed, wiping her nose on a crumpled ball of tissue. "because I love you too."

Every night, Karen dreamed about a castle made of ice, far away in the frozen wastelands of the North. In her dream, she'd crunch through the snow with her bare feet, making her way toward the castle. The winds were blinding, but she was able to struggle through until she was inside the glowing palace. A blue sphere shone overhead and when she stood underneath it, blue light would fall around her, wrapping her in warmth, telling her things she never remembered when she woke up. The sight of two people arriving at the palace, the ones the castle really belonged to was enough to wake Karen from her sleep at being discovered. She remembered them when she woke up. The prince was tall and strong, with dark hair that refused to be neat, his eyes a sparkling blue green. The princess was about the same age as Karen, with white blond hair that hid her face, except for her eyes, which were as blue as the forget me nots that grew in the garden out back. They were regal in blue and red, long red capes at their backs and they spoke together in a language Karen couldn't place before spotting Karen in her pajamas before them. Only tonight, Karen didn't wake up so fast. Tonight, she looked down at herself, and instead of her pajamas, she was dressed in white, with wide blue boots like a pirate and a sweeping red cape of her own. "I belong here too", she told them and the princess nodded, turning to the prince, whose face was dark with suspicion and then concern

"It's impossible…" The prince said, looking from the girl at his side to the girl in front of him. He seemed kind, but the words were painful just the same. "You aren't one of us…"

Karen Starke woke up crying that morning and when she looked in the mirror, she recognized the face of the princess in her dream. She'd seen it before in her father's research. Karen raised a hand to her own cheek, which was so similar to that of the girl in her father's files, but different, too. If my parents won't tell me why I am this way, maybe you will, Princess, Karen thought, looking at her short, dark blond hair and her darker blue eyes. Maybe you will know why I am so much like you and still so much different.


	6. Palermo

The American hurried through the crowded streets of Palermo, dodging the young boys who played soccer around him with the ease of a veteran of the sport. As usual, there was business to be done, and he could not take in the charm of the city, it merely passed him by in a blur, the scents and sounds temptations he could not afford to waste time on. He held the briefcase in his hand as if his life depended on it, his knuckles white where they clenched it desperately. He hated this part of his job so much, he could taste it like bile in his mouth. He'd often wished to come back here, on a vacation, with his fiancee, but somehow, his parents would find a way to talk him out of it. Go to Greece, Go to Positano or Capri if you must go to Italy. But stay away from Palermo, they'd hiss, his father spitting and making the sign to ward off the evil eye. If only they knew, his parents, that he was here every month like clockwork. The old man's underlings called him "The American" but he had been born here, in Palermo, and then whisked away to the United States by his parents. The armed guard at the gate nodded him through, and The American went up the steps, the soles of his shoes scuffing on the ancient stone. The villa of the "old man" had been built first by a Roman officer, granted the land by Caesar himself, when Sicily was an outpost of that Empire, and then rebuilt in the Middle Ages by a Norman nobleman who decided to not return to France after the Crusades. Rich mosaics caught the stark light, sending color back from the floors themselves, but this visitor had no time to stand and stare, he knew them by heart, each and every tile. He made his way down the pillared hall and out into the courtyard, where his host sat waiting, sipping the latest of his vinegar production from a small glass.

"So, what do you have to say?" The Old Man said, his voice husky from age and the bitterness of the ruined wine. "Who sees you except for these visits?"

"Not my first choice either, Pappa." The American said, setting his briefcase on the table. "Thanks for the English."

"I like it…it keeps everyone in the house from knowing what you are here for…"

"Whatever makes you happy." The young man said, opening the briefcase. "The Grayson family is dead."

"Buono." The Old Man nodded, putting his glass down on the table. "The beads?"

"Not amongst the belongings of Isabella, Pappa. It was gone." The young man dropped a sheaf of crime scene photographs on the table. "This is insanity."

"Maybe, maybe..." The old man picked up the pictures and sifted through them, slowly, one by one. He looked up, his speckled eyes watery in his tanned face. "There's one missing. Where's the boy? Fredo, the Grayson boy is not here. Where is he?"

"The Grayson boy? Pappa. The father, mother and daughter are dead. How many more? The boy doesn't know anything, hell, the girl didn't either. Their mother didn't know why she was a target. You realize you are getting revenge on someone who has been dead for sixteen years?"

"Revenge." The old man nodded stroking his pristine white shirt. "You say it so easily…like it doesn't mean anything, you know what they did to us..…"

"Christ! Pappa..it means everything. But when does it stop? When do you say that's enough? What do I do? Wait for my rosary? I've been wanting to get married, but I don't dare, Christine keeps wondering…"

"What a baby. In love and that's all that matters..."The Old Man chuckled. "Get Bruno for me. Tell him I have a job for him."

"No, Pappa, I'm done. I'll handle the legitimate business of your American company for you, but I'm done being your messenger boy." Fredo rose, smoothing is dark grey suit in almost the same gesture as his grandfather had done just moments before. "This is why Mom left, isn't it?"

The old man shrugged. "She left. What difference does it make why? Talking so big, such a big shot, right? Marry your girl, Fredo. Send me a picture, I'll have a mass sung here for you. But tell Bruno I want him here. Then you go free. Tu sentire?"

"Yeah, Pappa, I undertstand. You want Bruno. You want the Grayson kid dead. I have another problem. There's someone else who's vanished into thin air…" Fredo closed his briefcase. "I hope he stays missing, too."

"Find them. That's all. Use your expensive brain to find out where they are. Who could it be?" The old man picked up his cordial glass of vinegar, sniffed it and saluted his grandson with it. "I know where everyone is. I'm not worried."

"Yeah, of course." Fredo shook his head. "It's Gianni, Pappa. Gianni is loose and alone in America. How long do you think it will be before he starts looking for this kid himself? It stops being a matter of picking them off one by one when they are together."

"Gianni, he's a moron. He'll get himself killed and spare me the trouble. Find that Grayson boy. Worry about him, the little mongrel." The old man waved dismissively at his grandson. "Oh, and go see your Nonna. She's still angry I didn't keep you here last time until she got home from mass. No decent food was put on this table for a month. Go. I can't stand another month of that junk she brought in from….how do you say it…MacDonnas?"

"McDonald's" Fredo grinned, thinking of his grandfather staring down a BigMac every night, instead of the beautiful fish fresh from the Mediterranean that he was used to. "I'm going." He took his briefcase and kissed his grandfather on both cheeks. "Goodbye, Pappa."

"Ciao, Alfredo. Safe trip back to America…tell your mother to come visit soon…" The old man returned the embrace and sipped at his vinegar, listening to Fredo's footfalls grow fainter. Gianni Ludovici, loose in America. Bruno had better explain how that particular end came undone, and have a plan to tie him back up.


	7. Evidence

Karen Starke stood in her fathers home laboratory, trying to figure out where to look first. She knew there was a file here with the picture of the girl from her dream. Her father's notebooks were neatly lined up on a file credenza, on the office side of the lab. Karen walked to the credenza, and quickly opened and closed each drawer, speed reading each tab, until her hand fell on a white notebook. She pulled it out of it's place in the neat row and looked at the label. "PROJECT GALATEA – CONFIDENTIAL PROGRESS REPORTS" A dim memory surfaced, and Karen remembered a glassed in room, a small white table and chairs and a tall, bald man in black, whose young face never failed to curve in a smile for her. She began to read, flipping through the pages faster and faster, until she could smell the paper starting to burn as she read. Finished with the notes, Karen dropped the notebook, devoid of all expression, and moved to the computer. The password was suddenly no problem at all. She typed in "Galatea" and pressed enter. There, before her, her entire life – the few scant months of it – pictures, growth charts, analyses of the DNA combined to create her, and the name of the donor. Kara Kent. Smallville, Kansas. Sarah Sullivan, Smallville, Kansas. Karen looked at her own face, as a little girl, a childhood that was actually only hours ago, really. She had heard about people seeing their lives flash before their eyes, but Karen had never believed it possible. But she felt a deep and unrelenting nausea as hers moved through her brain. Her father had documented everything, no small change in her was ignored. Karen nodded, taking everything in as her breath came first in hard, painful gulps and left in deep, gasping sighs. Everything, Karen thought, has been a lie.

"I'm an experiment." Karen breathed, touching the picture of her face on the screen. "That's all. A lab rat bred in captivity…" She felt hot, raging tears in her eyes, and Karen wiped them away with a rough hand. Copies of the research on her development, her cognitive abilities, measurements of her strength increases, the other strange things she could do…it was all here. Standing, Karen shut the computer off and replaced the white binder. She didn't need any of the information. She'd memorized it all. Walking up the stairs, Karen heard her parents chatting in the driveway as they unloaded groceries from the back of the car. Tempted to wait for them to come in and confront them with her newfound knowledge, Karen paused briefly, and then walked to her room, Streaky trotting along beside her. Blinded by hot tears of rage, Karen threw belongings randomly into a blue backpack, ignoring Streaky's attempts for her attention. Finally, he butted her hand with his head, insistent enough for Karen to look at him. The orange cat stretched, raising his head into her hand. His tags jingled, and Karen looked at them focusing on the three words she'd never looked at before on the green tag that was always partially hidden by his rabies tag. She felt a cold chill as she read the engraved words, even as she knew her half hearted prayer would not be answered.

"Property of Luthorcorp."

"That makes two of us, Speedy." Karen picked the cat up, and felt his purring close to her heart, calming her and steadying her nerves. "But you and I are going to find out once and for all who we are and where we belong."

Kara blinked and shook her head, feeling a little dazed. She looked around, and found both Barbara and Dick staring at her. "What is it?"

"I was about to ask you the same thing." Dick said. "You were talking about making ice cream on the farm and then, you were just gone." Barbara nodded solemnly, pulling the spoon of vanilla ice cream from her mouth, her eyes wide.

"I suddenly felt as if I were reading a great deal of information quickly. It just sped by me, too fast to really understand it, and then, just as I had gotten my bearings, I was overwhelmed and sad. I suppose it's just from the day. I never went to my parent's funeral." Kara looked at the bowl of chocolate ice cream before her. "I wonder if Bruce has butter pecan."

They were making sundaes in the huge kitchen of Wayne Manor. Lois had gone to deal with some business for Martha Kent, and Bruce, Chloe and Clark had all vanished. Dinner had been prepared and set aside, so the teens had taken matters into their own hands, and before long, they had found Bruce's store of ice cream, all pristine and fresh, in the walk in freezer.

"You got all glassy eyed." Barbara told Kara, pushing the stool in under Kara more securely. "And you were muttering."

Kara blinked and set her spoon down. "What did I say?"

"Nothing." Dick interjected smoothly, casting a dark look at Barbara, who frowned defiantly. "I mean, we didn't understand you."

"I did." Barbara looked at Kara, and rubbed her arm comfortingly. "You were talking about being a lab rat…."

"Barbara!" Dick exclaimed, but Kara shook her head at him, recollection plain on her face.

"I remember that. Yes, I was very upset about that." Kara grinned at Barbara. "I could scarcely call my home in California a lab. How strange."

"Well, you're okay now." Dick said protectively. "Let's eat lots of ice cream, watch scary movies and stay up very, very late."

"Sounds like a plan." Barbara chirped, and then she looked back at Kara. "Are you sure you're okay?" Clark appeared in the kitchen, and all three of the younger teens stopped to look at him guiltily. He looked at the large bowls of ice cream, but spared them the lecture on nutrition. Instead, his green-blue eyes studied the three of them evenly, and then rested on a miniscule spot on Kara's blue shirt.

"You guys doing some movie watching?" Clark asked, coming over to them, and clapping Kara on the shoulder. "Ice Cream Dinner, too, huh? Sounds like fun. We all might join you guys in a little bit..."

"Yes, you should….scary moviethon." Kara looked at her cousin's hand on her shoulder and then up at him. "Everything okay?"

Clark closed his hand around the hair, and then pulled his hand away from Kara. "Sure. Okay, see you guys later.."

"Weird much?" Barbara looked at Kara and rolled her expressive cat eyes. "He's gorgeous, Kara, what was that all about?"

"I don't know." Kara followed Clark with her eyes, and then with her x-ray vision, scanning his descent down a stairway Kara had not seen before. "I'll have to talk to him later."


	8. Questions and Answers

"Got it." Clark handed the hair over and Bruce frowned at it. Shrugging slightly, Bruce placed it on a flat, lighted panel on his command center console. A slow hum indicated that the strand was being analyzed, and Bruce looked up at Clark again, shrugging slightly.

"I'm going to have my computer run an analysis and then send the data to a friend of mine to interpret it for us. Dick's DNA will give us a starting point. We'll need samples from Gianni, and his rosary and the Grayson rosary too."

"I can get you Dick's rosary, if you want it now." Kara's soft voice made Clark, Chloe and Bruce all jump. Kara calmly regarded them all, and then shook her head. "I can see through walls. How long did you think it would take before I found this place?"

"Snooping, Boss?" Bruce asked sternly, and Kara just rolled her eyes.

"No, but if I had wanted to you'd have never known." She answered defiantly, and Chloe smiled, and then cleared her throat as Clark and Bruce turned to glare at her. "Do you want my help or not?"

"Listen, Boss, we don't know what we're dealing with yet, and I don't want Dick to feel that we're prying into his life." Bruce explained. "But we don't think that his family's deaths were accidental."

"You are thinking that someone wanted them dead? Why?" Kara looked at Clark questioningly. "Who would do such a thing?"

"That's what we're trying to figure out. There may be a link between Dick and the people responsible. Dick's rosary has a tiny vial of blood on it. We need to get hold of it. Do you know where it is?"

Kara nodded slowly. "I think I can find it."

"When you do, bring it here. I want to bring it to the Fortress for analysis." Clark said. "The Archive can scan and identify the samples without destroying them."

"Fine. Chloe, get me everything you can find on the Ludovici family. I'm going to have to go out for a little while." Bruce turned to Chloe. "I think I might know where to go to get some more information."

"Okay." Chloe grinned at Bruce's elaborate computer set up and grinned, rubbing her hands together. "This is going to be amazing…"

"You're getting in late." The voice caused Fredo to freeze in his tracks. "Long flight?" The owner of the voice was shrouded in the shadows, but Fredo would know it anywhere. Too many Excelsior nights of misadventure and chaos began with that voice offering leisurely suggestions.

"Not long enough if you're here." Fredo retorted, collecting himself as he set his briefcase down. "Isn't Metropolis more your kind of town?"

"I need a favor.And you've always been a 'Go To' guy, Fredo." Lex Luthor said, sitting forward so Fredo could see him clearly. "You always were. "

"Look, Lex, I'm kind of involved in some family entanglements right now. You have people to get you want you want." Fredo poured himself some water and sipped. "It was a long flight and I'm beat."

"No, actually, I think you can help me." Lex nodded. "One of my scientists went missing with some key research not all that long ago. Rumor has it he's here in the Gotham area. With your black market connections, I know you have heard from this guy. I want to know where he is."

"I told you, I'm not in the favor business anymore, Lex." Fredo Bertinelli sighed. "You want my brother, Piero."

"I don't like Piero's friends." Lex's voice was like grey satin. "Besides, I help you, you help me…"

"Cut the crap, Lex." Fredo leaned on the desk, and Lex rose too, the confrontation looking all the world like one between a lion and an albino cobra. "Who's the guy?"

"Dr. Starke. Dr. William Starke. Formerly of Cadmus Labs. He may be using an alias, but he's got a daughter who looks like this." Lex took out a picture and set it down on the desk. Fredo looked down at it without picking it up and shook his head.

"I've never laid eyes on that girl. As for your Dr. Starke? Do you really think a scientist on the run from you is going to use his real name? I'll see what I can find out. Now, how is my situation helped by any of this?" Fredo straightened, and tapped the desk idly. The best way to play games with Lex Luthor was to make sure all the stakes were plainly visible.

"Dick Grayson is dating the cousin of a friend of mine. Those friends have come to spend some time here in Gotham City. Where they are, he is." Lex smiled. "That helps, right?"

"I'll see what I can find out about your Dr. Starke, but I don't expect to find much. If he's in business with my brother on any level, he's way, way underground."

"That's fine." Lex patted Fredo on the shoulder. "Keeps funeral expenses down. I want my project back. Unharmed."

"I'll talk to Piero. That's all." Fredo tapped the desk. "And I'll get in touch. Don't come here again."

"I have business in Gotham City. I'll be around." Lex chuckled, leaving Fredo's office silently.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, what the hell am I mixed up in now? Fredo asked himself, picking up the picture Lex had left behind. The girl in the picture was exquisitely beautiful blonde, smiling innocently, a blue hairband holding her white blonde hair from her face. Sighing, Fredo picked up the phone. Piero needed to know what the old man wanted this time, and he'd know where to find Bruno. And, Fredo shuddered, where Bruno Carmeggi was, so was Luigi Osanti. Brothers of the Blood. Where one failed, the other would surely succeed.

"What are we trying to accomplish?" Kara asked, as her feet made contact with the white floor of the Fortress. " To identify if the blood in those vials are identical? KRYPTO!" She yelped as white dog landed in her arms. "Couldn't we just…." She squinted hard into thin air, and Clark laughed.

"I tried it. I can't pinpoint certain factors well enough yet. I'm hoping the Archive can identify the DNA markers we need to make sure it's a match." He set the rosaries down on a clear table. "Archive, I need your help."

"A preliminary scan shows the two samples are indeed identical." The Archives neutral voice informed them. "A more indepth analysis will take some time."

"We'll wait." Clark said, and the Archive manifested a more welcoming environment, and Kara put Krypto down, her eyes wide. Gone were the stark white walls and chill breeze and in their place a sleek Kryptonian dwelling with every appointment available.

"Kara Zor-El may entertain herself with her serial, or she may wander the botanical gardens of Argo City while I perform the analysis of the human blood samples. I regret that I cannot provide you with more exotic locales, Kara Zor-El."

"The Botanical Gardens would be perfect!" Kara cried, and the dwelling melted away, leaving Kara standing in a beautifully cultivated garden. "Ah, the Centauri Nebula section! My favorite." She smiled. "Thank you, Archive."

"Please show Kal-El through the Gardens." The Archive replied. "and kindly restrain your dog…" Krypto yelped as a small electrical charge kept him from digging into the rich, manila colored grass. "I will have the information you seek shortly."

Karen Starke walked through the tree-lined streets of Smallville in a daze. She had seen towns like this on television, but never in reality, so she was a bit overwhelmed. She hoped she wasn't drawing too much attention, grateful for the clothes she had bought the other day with her mother. Not my mother, Karen reminded herself, I don't have a mother. Streaky mewed a little in his carrier, not minding the run to Smallville at all, but becoming more and more disturbed at Karen's slow stroll. Her eyes took in every face she passed, studying them for some kind of clue of her origins. Finally, she found herself alone on a road that was bordered by cornfields. With a sad little sigh, Karen walked over to the side of the road, and sat under a wide oak tree that offered plentiful shade. It stood at the end of a curving driveway, and Karen could see a tidy farmhouse with a woman sitting on a porch swing, the afternoon light playing at making her hair brilliantly golden. She was reading, and Karen rose, shouldering her backpack and tightening her grip on Speedy's carrier. Without meaning to or knowing the way, Karen thought, I found my way to where my answers should begin. The woman looked up and smiled, waving as Karen made her way up the pathway to the house.

"Kara, I thought you were…." Her voice trailed off, it's pleasantly accented speech dying in Karen's ears as her wide eyes took Karen in. "You aren't Kara."

"No. I'm Karen Starke. I have reason to believe that you might be my, well, my mother.."

Sarah Sullivan, more than anyone, understood the sensation of being separated from one's senses. And this girl, in spite of her insane belief, was far from insane.

"Well, darlin', why don't we go inside and talk this out? I've got some fresh sweet tea made." Sarah held out her hand. "I'm Sarah Sullivan, honey. If I'm not your mother, I'll help you find out who she is. Okay?"

Karen looked at the petite woman's outstretched hand. It was the same shape as her own, except possibly a little smaller. Closing Sarah's hand in her own, Karen felt a weight lift off her shoulders. Whatever happened now, no one would lie to her anymore, she just knew it.


	9. Information

Chloe was alone in the Batcave, sitting at the computer, searching for information on the Ludovici family. Bruce had left her several key access points to federal and international intelligence networks, and there was one that looked very much like the backdoor into Interpol's carefully guarded firewall, and the other, a very illegal passkey to the CIA. Resisting the urge to pry into the Luthor family file, Chloe began to assemble tiny pieces of information. The Ludovici's were a circus family, to be sure, a family tradition that spanned back to the 14th century. However, their connections to organized crime went just as far back, and before long, Chloe realized that there was nothing so clear cut in this situation as it originally seemed. With a sigh, she began to search through Dick Grayson's family tree, and finally found the connection point, on Isabella's side. Isabella's grandmother, Carmelina had been a Ludovici, and married Isabella's grandfather, a Carrera in 1937. Chloe looked up, and rubbed her eyes. That was all she was going to find online, and the family connection was enough to support at least the theory that Dick and Gianni were related.

Chloe sat back and stretched in the large, leather chair. Her cell phone rang, and she answered it, amazed that she could even get reception in the cavern at all.

"Mom? Everything okay?"

"I was about to ask you the same thing, honey." Sarah said, looking over at Karen, who was curled up on the couch, her large orange cat on her lap, both fast asleep. "There's a girl here who could be Kara's twin, Chloe. Well, her face, but she's built like, well, you. With breast implants. And taller."

"Nice. Thanks, Mom." Chloe grinned, and then sat forward. "Where did she say she came from?"

"She said she came from a little town near Gotham City, but here's the weird thing. Her cat has a Luthorcorp tag on his collar." Sarah looked over at the cat, who was watching her, it's green eyes slitted. "I feel like he's reading my mind."

"Luthorcorp." Chloe repeated, and then sighed. "I'm calling Clark. Mom, keep her there. Don't let her leave."

"Oh, she's not going anywhere, Chloe. I think she figures she's home." Sarah sighed, looking at the runaway on her couch. "I want to find out who she belongs to, let them know she's okay."

"I'll call you back, Mom." Chloe hung up, and hearing a noise behind her, turned. Bruce stood behind her, in full Batman mode, almost blending in to the darkness he'd appeared from. "Oh, geez, Bruce! How long have you been standing there?"

"Long enough to know it's time I let you in on something I've been watching lately." Bruce pulled off his cowl and ran a hand through his hair. "A few months back, Luthorcorp, well, through the Cadmus Labs Divison…"

"Cadmus? I thought there was an explosion or something there, some marine experiment gone bad?" Chloe said, and Bruce nodded.

"That was going on there at the time too, but I missed it. I wish I had found that research room – I'd have taken that project off line too. I was too focused on Project Galatea." Bruce continued to peel off body armor, and Chloe looked away blushing. He laughed a little, a hoarse bark that only hinted at humor. "I'm wearing clothes under this, Chloe."

"So what was so compelling about Project Galatea that you didn't notice stolen marine mammals being smuggled into the facility?" Chloe asked, and Bruce sighed. He walked over to the computer and pulled up a series of files, and opened one. A picture of the sweetest little girl Chloe had ever seen appeared. "She's gorgeous."

"She's a clone." Bruce said simply, and Chloe turned to stare at him. "Look at her carefully, Chloe. Who does she look like?"

Chloe stood and studied the child on the computer monitor carefully. "It could be Kara. Except for the shape of her eyes, and maybe her hair is darker."

"I'm sure. Her eyes are the same shape as yours, Chloe. And her hair, I'm willing to bet, is the color yours was before it started getting darker." Bruce smirked. "Please don't tell me it's natural, Chloe. I'm dating Lois, remember? There are no family secrets anymore between you and I."

"It's impossible." Chloe said, staring at the little girl. "Where is she now?"

"Missing. For three days. Her parents thought the worst, of course, but I've not been able to turn anything up." Bruce sighed, tapping the screen. "Chloe, this picture was taken four months ago."

"Well how does a five year old just vanish?" Chloe asked, and Bruce pulled up another picture, a smiling girl of about seventeen. "Oh my God."

"This was taken the day she disappeared." Bruce shook his head. "The biologist in charge of the project had the clone in his home, raising it as his child…"

"Bruce, stop." Chloe held up a hand. "She's got a name, a life…"

"It was supposed to be under the radar and out of Lex Luthor's eye line. They were calling her Karen…"

"Karen." Chloe sighed. "Wait. She was just five, the picture you first showed me was only a little while ago. How did she get from that to this?"

"Aging process that had been integrated into the cloning procedure caused it to skip several years at a time, during sleep cycles." Bruce pulled up more files, and then turned to look at Chloe, who was staring at Karen's picture again. "What?"

"Stop calling her it. I'm serious, Bruce. She's a clone of Kara, our Kara. Clark's Kara. This girl is probably very much like Kara."

"This girl is nothing like Kara." Bruce replied coldly, and Chloe felt herself recoil slightly. "Lex created her, Chloe, from a strand of Kara's hair. How he got it, I'd love to know, but he did it. "Kara's hair that is infused with your mother's DNA. Lex didn't count on that. If he'd have known…"

"Known what?" Chloe asked softly, and Bruce laughed again, bitterly.

"Karen is much more resistant to Kryptonite than Clark or Kara. My theory is that a stronger mix of human DNA into the process and you have a superhuman being that has no weaknesses at all. Lex was being selfish, and wanted a child like Kara. But he stumbled onto the biggest, most marketable military application of cloning that anyone could ever imagine. I'm just glad he didn't figure it out. I did." Bruce sighed. "I don't know Karen, Chloe. I've been watching the family since the chief scientist went underground with her. Protecting them as best I can. But now she's loose and I don't know where she is. If Lex finds her first, it's over."

Chloe looked at Karen's picture and then at Bruce. "I think I know where she is. She's safe, Bruce."

"Call Clark, tell him to get where she is. I want to know what you found on Dick's family, but I need to get Karen here and under protective custody. Tonight." Bruce picked up his Batsuit and moved off to work on cleaning it. "I know this is upsetting, Chloe, but you have to be tough. Clark and Kara may not adjust very well to this."

"A manufactured Kryptonian." Chloe whispered, sitting down in Bruce's chair again. "Whoa."


	10. Cousins

Clark and Kara dropped to the ground softly in front of Chloe's parent's house. Gabe was away again, so it was safer for them to do so.

"Chloe seemed pretty upset, Clark." Kara eyed the house suspiciously. "Even that the Archive was able to tell us about the blood in the rosaries didn't seem to set her mind at ease."

Clark thought a moment about reminding Kara about eavesdropping, but decided against it. She frowned at him, her blue eyes clouded and worried and then looked back at the house. "Don't worry, Kara. We'll get it all straightened out."

They walked up the porch steps and Clark knocked on the door. Sarah appeared, and opened the door, finger across her lips, warning them to be quiet. In her other arm, she held a large orange cat, who was purring loud enough to be heard in Metropolis.

"Poor thing is still sleeping. I don't understand how she can sleep so much…Hi, you two." Sarah smiled and kissed Kara and then Clark. "I'm glad Chloe caught you."

Kara held out her arms for the cat and Sarah handed him over. He settled into Kara's embrace easily, and most uncatlike, mewed contentedly before purring again.

"She said you had a visitor…a runaway that thinks she's related to you…" Clark replied and Sarah nodded.

"It's a little more complicated than that, Clark." Sarah said, as Kara made her way into the living room with the cat. "She came here with that cat, and he's been following me around for hours, like he's been trying to tell me something."

Kara looked at the cat she was holding. "You think he can talk?"

"No…not exactly." Sarah replied, and then pointed to the girl on the couch. "I think she might understand him and he thinks everyone can." As if on cue, the girl stirred and turned over, revealing her face.

"That's me." Kara breathed, moving closer to the couch silently to kneel beside the stranger. "Clark?" She looked up, and Clark felt his brain go into hyperdrive. It simply wasn't possible, and he ran through the scenarios in his mind – alternate universes, time space disruptions. But something about the girl was most un-Kara like. Kara was ballerina like, long and lean, her slender figure more than deceiving, given how strong she truly was. The sleeping girl was heavier, appearing more strongly built and well, more generously filled out than Kara was, or might ever be. Clark thought back to the time on Krypton. Neither his mother or aunt were built like this girl, and Clark looked up on the Sullivan's mantlepiece trying to think, and his eye fell on Chloe's graduation picture. Eyes wide, he looked at Sarah, and then down at the girl again.

"Where did she say she came from?" Clark asked, and Sarah shook her head.

"She said she came from a small town outside of Gotham City. But the cat has a Luthorcorp tag on his collar." Sarah said, and Kara spun the cat's collar around gently so she could read the tag.

"Luthorcorp? Clark…" Kara looked up. "Why would Lex make such a close copy of me?"

"She's not a perfect copy." Clark said, and the girls eyes fluttered open. In the afternoon light, Karen's eyes were lighter than Kara's too, less indigo and more peacock, and Clark shuddered. It was as if Chloe and Kara had been merged somehow. Karen sat up, and blinked twice, first at Kara, who was sitting on the floor in front of her, holding Streaky, and then up at Clark, who had moved around the couch to study her more carefully.

"I've had dreams about you both. You both look exactly the same. It's uncanny." Karen said, and Kara nodded slowly. "Except I met you in a palace made of ice…"

"I've dreamed about you too." Kara replied, shaking her head. "But you were a child. I thought I was dreaming about my childhood on...back home."

"Who are you?" Clark asked, and Karen sighed.

"I'm Karen Starke. Who I am is what I'm trying to find out." She stood, and Clark was surprised to see she was taller than Kara, and seemed older. Karen seemed to be measuring him, too, and she nodded slowly, as if she had expected his reaction. "I read through my father's research, and apparently I'm her clone." Karen gestured toward Kara, who'd risen to her feet in a graceful motion, still holding the cat. "That's Streaky. He's a lab experiment too." She held out her hands to Kara for the cat. Streaky opened one eye, and allowed himself to be transferred between the girls with no break in his loud purring. "I'm not quite sure what I expected to find, I guess." Streaky struggled free from Karen's arms and dropped lightly to the floor, sauntering to the window to stare outside at the birds.

"We'll help." Kara immediately offered. "In any way we can."

"Kara.." Clark began, and Karen frowned at him. "We can't be sure…"

"Look, I'm fast, strong, I can hear for miles and I can see through things." Karen counted off with her fingers. "According to my 'father's' paperwork, I'm less than a year old, but I look like, well, this. If you want answers and don't want to trust me, buddy, believe me, I'm right there with you." Karen placed her hands on her hips. "Like it or not, somehow, I'm part of her."

Clark nodded, his face solemn. "You said you learned this from your father's paperwork."

"My father used to work for LuthorCorp, something else I just found out. Cadmus Labs. My life has been a barrel of new information in just a week." Karen rolled her eyes. "But I don't expect a guy like you to understand that."

"You don't know anything about me." Clark said, feeling his temper rise. His cell phone rang and he answered it, not taking his eyes off Karen. "Hello?"

"Clark? Bruce. Are you in Smallville already?" Clark heard his friend's calm voice and forced himself to relax.

"Yeah, I'm here. We're with Karen."

"Good. Listen to me. Bring her back here. It's important." Bruce said, keeping his sentences short and clipped. "You can't stay in Smallville with Karen much longer. Lex is looking for her, Clark. They know she's run away from home."

"Lex." Clark closed his eyes. "We'll get her back to Gotham right away." He hung up and looked at his cousin and her clone. "Time to go."

"Go where?" Karen asked. "I'm not going back to Dr. Frankenstein and his assistant."

"Hey, hey…" Sarah interjected. "Those people whoever they are were your parents, honey. You should hear them out."

"I'm a freak, Mrs. Sullivan. I'm a test tube baby that's hyper aged. I'm not going back to them until I know why they did this." Karen retorted, shaking her head. "This isn't some television show where they feed me cookies and tell me how sorry they are for hurting me. I'm not supposed to exist."

Sarah sighed, and reached out to Karen, who flinched away. "You're here, Karen. What went on to bring you here doesn't matter. You must have a reason to exist, and the first thing to do is to listen to Clark so he can help you." Sarah drew her hand back and turned to Clark. "You aren't taking her back to that scientist are you?" Clark shook his head and fixed his gaze on Karen.

"You're going with me to a friends house, where we can keep you safe." Clark told her. "I don't know what you know about Kara, but I'm taking a big risk right now. Kara and I aren't from here." Clark said, and Karen's face softened, her eyes wide. Kara stepped forward, and took her hand. Karen felt something inside her break just a little staring at the perfect face of the girl she'd been copied from. Kara's trust was almost too much to bear, since Karen didn't want to trust anyone.

"We're from a long dead planet called Krypton. We're the last survivors. Somehow, I don't know why, you've been created from me." Kara smiled softly, and squeezed Karen's hand gently. "We're…related..."

"Related." Karen looked at Kara, and then at Clark. "I'm like you."

"We don't know how much so yet, but yes." Clark shouldered Karen's backpack. "I want to get you girls back to Bruce's and then I'm going to visit Lex."


	11. Famiglia

Piero Bertinelli was a young man, older than his brother Alfredo by only three years. However, he held in the palm of his hands the keys to the organized crime world and ruled over Gotham City like a young Roman emperor. He had done single handedly what his parents and grandmother had prayed he would never do – taken over his grandfather's illegitimate business in America. His parents had disowned him, pinning all their hopes on Fredo, who ran the legal end of the family businesses. A stark counterpoint to his large and elegant younger brother, Piero was short and rocklike, his dark eyes always moving and calculating, his dark hair even appearing hard. Piero loved when Fredo stopped by the office, because it was always a reminder to him of God's sense of humor. Their outward appearances played right into their roles in life – Fredo tall, good looking in that movie star way, always making speeches, going to stock holders meetings and Piero, short and dark as sin, a devil from hell, who held the power of life and death in his thick hands as easily as Fredo did a spread sheet. Equally suited to their different lives, Piero could appreciate God's sense of humor. Piero looked down at the photograph of his violet eyed daughter and smiled. The two murderers across the desk from him doted on the girl, she called them Uncle Bruno and Uncle Luigi and they brought her candy and clapped when she sang for them in Italian. Today, though, Piero wasn't laughing with God or at Him as Piero often did. He was mad.

"That albino scum Luthor wants me to do his dirty work?" Piero pounded his granite fist on the desk, causing Helena's picture to topple over. "What makes him think I know where these people are?"

"The concern was that if the Doctor needed supplies, you'd be the guy to get them from. Especially if he was lying low." Fredo replied. "And Lex isn't albino, he's Scottish or something."

"I don't care if he's the freaking Queen of England, Fredo. You're here relaying his messages like a freaking messenger. Genius, right?" He laughed, his coarse face creased with bitterness. "Golden boy, and all you're good for is delivering that pansys messages."

"Piero, you know that's not why I'm here." Fredo replied, equally bitter. "I'm a messenger boy alright, but not Lex Luthors. Do what you want with that business. The Old Man sent me."

Bruno and Luigi sat straighter and Piero grimaced at the mention of his grandfather. "What's he want now? The Graysons are dead…waste of women..did you see that Isabella? My God." Piero rolled his eyes. "and that daughter was growing into quite a piece, too. I could have done the husband myself and been fine."

"It's not about that. That stupid vendetta of his is going to kill us all. And now that Ra's Ah Ghul is in on it, it won't be done until we're all dead." Fredo shot a glance at Luigi Osanti, who made a point of ignoring Fredo. "He wants the Grayson boy whacked."

Piero rubbed his eyes. "I told him and I'll tell you. The kid is locked up so tight right now the only way I could get at him would be to make nice with Bruce Wayne." He lifted his hand from his eyes and studied his brother. "You though. You went to school with Bruce Wayne, even what the hell was that you played on the same team with him…"

"Lacrosse, but Piero, I don't know him anymore. I haven't spoken to Bruce Wayne in years." Fredo shook his head. "No. If the kid is safe with Bruce Wayne, then maybe the Old Man has to let it go."

"No...How did Gianni Ludovici get loose, Fredo?' Piero asked, his small eyes canny and wise. "You were the one watching him, right?"

"I was the one that set him up and hired security, if that's what you mean. But he wasn't living in my house." Fredo replied evenly, his handsome face neutral.

"Stupid. I can't even believe how stupid. You cry and moan, "I want a life, I want to get married…" That freaking guy is the key to all of this, Fredo. I can't believe I have to explain this to you, Ivy League, but let's give this a shot. Ludovici is our one common relative with that Grayson kid. We kill the Grayson kid, it's over. By keeping Gianni out of the way, the Old Man made sure that the rest of the Ludovicis are gone first. Then, Gianni cuts a break because he's a Bertinelli. Now he's out. He finds Grayson, then it's us that get hunted." Piero shook his head. "Nice work, genius."

"Dick Grayson is a sixteen year old boy who just lost his parents. They weren't at all connected anymore, except for Tony Grayson's gambling debts. Isabella knew why she was being hunted? I'll bet she didn't, otherwise that kid would have been long gone." Fredo looked over at Luigi. "You tailed them. Did the kids know?"

"Nah." Luigi Osanti replied with a casual shrug. "She was worried that the kids would find out what a louse their father was. That's all." He looked over at Bruno Carmeggi and elbowed him. "That's it, right?"

Bruno Carmeggi nodded silently, and eyed Fredo thoughtfully. Bruno was a slender man, lithe as a shadow, and he played up that catlike quality about himself well. He always wore black, and never spoke until he was sure what he had to say would have the most impact. Like Luigi Osanti, Carmeggi had once been a circus performer, a clown. Carmeggi's European circus career had come to a screeching halt when he murdered his wife and her lover in a hotel in Rome, while in full mime makeup. He'd run right to Palermo and to the protection of the Old Man. Now a skilled assassin, Carmeggi had been listening to the conversation in his own quiet way, and then cleared his throat.

"I wonder, where Gianni would have gone, to feel safe." His English was better than Osanti's, and he spoke with the casual air of a wealthy man on vacation. "He knows about the vendetta. He's scared to death of anyone, and he won't perceive the boy as a threat. It makes me think he'd gone to find him. Which means we have to eliminate both the boy, and the family idiot."

Piero turned, growling. "Don't call him that."

"What else shall I call him, signore? Illegitimate, product of cousins, simply put, he's like a five year old in a fifty year old body. You want to live to see the Princess there grow up? Kill them both."

Fredo and Piero stared at each other while the killer spoke. Fredo cleared his throat.

"You want to kill our uncle, Piero? Go ahead. Send out the wolves. But remember who takes over when Gianni is dead, and what that means to you."

Piero righted the picture of Helena and studied his daughter's perfect face for a long moment. "You're right. We don't want that. Bruno." The slender man drifted out of his seat like smoke. "Find Gianni. Bring him to me. And Luigi. Go visit my doctor friend and find out why he's behind on his payment."

Fredo chuckled. "You have Luthor's target, don't you? You've known where he was the whole time, didn't you?"

"Yeah, my pocket." Piero waved his hand in the air dismissively. He borrowed money from me for equipment. Research, he said." He looked at the older man. "What are you waiting for? Go." Osanti rose with a grunt and lumbered from the room. "Tell Luthor I want to know what this old pointdexter knows that's so valuable. Tell him I want a cut and I want it pdq." Fredo rose, recognizing the end of his visit with his older brother. "And Fredo, tell him I said hi."


	12. Darkness

A pair of long shadows watched the white colonial house the Starke family called home. Every light in the house blazed through the open windows, but there were no signs of life at all. The first shadow, remarkable in it's completely non-human shape, moved silently forward, waving to the other one to follow. The second shadow definitely had a male shape, larger than the first, and it's steps were not as quiet.

"I don't like this." The first shadow said harshly, "This is not good."

"I'll go check it out." The second shadow replied, and the first turned, and placed a restraining hand on the arm of it's companion.

"Your superspeed is a liability right now." The first shadow grumbled. "Just follow my lead and try to be quiet." It was totally dark, and it moved toward the house. The second stretched itself out, and followed behind, as quietly as possible.

"Okay, you go ring the doorbell, Clark. I'm going around back." The first shadow resolved itself into the omnious figure of Batman in the light that was thrown from all the windows. Clark nodded, feeling odd in all black, but Bruce had been right. It was much easier moving unseen if they could blend into shadows. Walking up the few front steps, Clark rang the doorbell and waited. The rich chimes rang out, and Clark could hear them echo through the house. Focusing, Clark listened for any life signs inside the house and found nothing at all, and then the strong, thunderous heartbeat of his companion. Over that, Clark could hear Bruce whispering, so quiet it was almost as if Clark were hearing his thoughts.

"Clark, I know you can hear me." Bruce whispered. "Get the hell in here now. We've got trouble." Clark tested the door, which opened obligingly for him and he walked in. Using Kara's seeing through walls trick, Clark saw Bruce kneeling beside a body, checking for any signs of life. Clark got into the family room and found Bruce had risen, his attention diverted by an open door. The body on the floor was that of a woman, and Clark could not pull his eyes away. She was close to his own mother's age, and he could see she'd died defending something. A small pool of blood had gathered under her head, tangling in her sandy blond hair. He used his x-ray vision to examine her skull, and shuddered. Whomever had killed her had done so quickly and efficiently, using only one bullet.

"Aren't you going to cover her or something?" Clark asked, and Bruce turned, the dark cowl obscuring any possible expression. Clark stared at Bruce and finally, Bruce sighed, and shook his head.

"No. We're not supposed to be here. I'll call Jim Gordon when we leave." Bruce pointed to the door. "Starke did most of his research in a lab downstairs since he left Cadmus. Let's go." Bruce moved down the stairs quietly, followed by Clark. The basement lab was completely empty, except for the furniture.

"Great." Batman shook his head. "They took everything."

"Where's Dr. Starke?" Clark asked and Bruce moved around the room, looking around.

"They took him…they needed him…." Bruce looked up. "Whoever did this wants Starke to reproduce his research."

"Lex." Clark nodded. "I'm on my way to Smallville."

"Clark." Lana greeted him with a friendly peck on the cheek and stepped back. "Everything okay?"

"Lana, where's Lex?" Clark looked around and Lana frowned.

"Hello to you too, Clark." She smiled and then shrugged slightly. "He's in Gotham City on business. I was going to go with him, but I decided to stay home. Clark, what's wrong?"

"Lana, does Lex have another room of research about me, or Kara? You know, like the one he had that you found a few months ago?" Clark asked, and Lana tipped her head. That room of Clark Kent research had unnerved Lana deeply, and even though she'd accepted Lex's explanation for it, Lana also held her own convictions about Clark Kent, and she refused to believe he was anything other than one of the unfortunate victims of the first meteor shower.

"Do you think he started another one, Clark? I know he was asking about Kara when she first came to Smallville, but he hasn't said much about it in a while." Lana reached out and rested her hand on Clark's arm. "I promise you, he's really given all of that up."

"I hope so, Lana. I really do. Can you tell me where in Gotham City Lex is staying?" Clark closed his hand over hers. "It's important."

"The Gotham Park Plaza. It's where he always stays when he's there. It's nearly midnight there, Clark. Even if you left now, you wouldn't be there until tomorrow." Lana shook her head. "You're scaring me."

"I'm really sorry, Lana, I don't want to do that. I'm calling Bruce now." Clark pulled out his phone. "We need to catch up with Lex right away."

"This is a surprise." Lex smiled up at Bruce Wayne casually. "It's good to see you again. Hello, Lois." They were in the most exclusive and glamorous club in Gotham City. Bruce and Lois had quickly dressed for an evening out after getting Clark's call and now here they were, face to face with Lex.

"Hello, Lex." Lois' reply was almost a sneer. "Where's Lana? Or is she getting a vacation from you?" She clutched the small beaded bag she carried a little tighter.

"Charming, as always." Lex saluted Lois with his wine glass. "Bruce, you remember Alfredo Bertinelli, don't you?"

Bruce nodded at Fredo politely. "It's been a long time."

"Too long." Fredo replied, equally civilly. "They say in Gotham City, even though it's so big, the citizens will eventually bump into everyone once. It's a shame it's taken this long for us to do so." Fredo rose and bowed slightly in Lois' direction. "Signorina. It's a pleasure."

"Hello." Lois smiled charmingly for Fredo, and held out her hand. "Lois Lane."

Fredo took it and bowed again. "Alfredo Bertinelli. My fiancee, Christine." He gestured to an elegant brunette in white who reminded Bruce of a Roman sculpture. Won't you join us?"

"Really can't, Fredo, thanks." Bruce said, feigning regret. "But, if I could borrow Lex for a moment, I need to discuss something with him." Lex stood, and Bruce walked him a bit away, keeping one eye on Lois as she and Fredo's fiancee talked politely amongst themselves about the club and their evening gowns. Fredo seemed to be trying to pay attention to what was going on between Bruce and Lex, and Bruce made a mental note to check on what Piero Bertinelli was up to when he got back to the cave tonight.

"Well, Bruce, now that we're alone, what did you want to tell me?" Lex asked, and Bruce fixed his former schoolmate with a hard glare. "This isn't another Excelsior memories moment, is it? Because Fredo would be thrilled to reminisce with you."

"Just wondered if you'd heard from another mutual acquaintance of ours. Dr. William Starke." Bruce watched his words sink in, and Lex quickly recuperated from them, and collected his face into a mask of neutrality. Lex knew where Dr. Starke was, Bruce realized with smug satisfaction.

"I haven't heard from Dr. Starke since he resigned from Luthorcorp some months ago. I assume that's why you are asking me, since he was a former employee." Lex said, setting his glass down. He returned Bruce's glare with a steely one of his own.

"Of course." Bruce replied, sliding his hands into his pockets. "I heard their daughter was missing, and I was concerned for the family."

"How compassionate of you." Lex nodded. "I'll make sure to let you know if I hear something, but since I'm not exactly in the family circle…" He tipped his head. "You understand, of course."

"Naturally." Bruce said generously, turning back to walk back to where Lois was waiting. She smiled at him as he and Lex approached, and held out her hand to him. Lois' smile was brilliant, and Bruce realized that she must have done her own digging. "Ready to go?"

"Absolutely." Lois replied. "I'm exhausted and I have to fly back to Topeka in the morning." She turned to Fredo and his fiancee. "It's been so nice to meet you both. Lex." Lois flicked her eyes over him disdainfully. "I wish I could say that about you."

"Someday you'll forgive me for the muffin peddler comment, Lois. You did have it coming." Lex replied charmingly, and Lois raised an eyebrow.

"That so?" Lois smiled dangerously. "Well, I guess we all get what we deserve eventually, don't we?" She slid her arm through Bruce's. "Let's go."

Once they left the club and safely in the limo, Lois pulled the bobby pins from her elegant updo and shook her hair out. "I hate that man." Her casual hair was a sexy contrast to the elegant black gown she had chosen for their excursion, and Bruce couldn't help but admire Lois.

"I know you do." Bruce said, thinking about how easily Lois had slipped into investigative mode with him. "But you got along very well with Fredo and his girlfriend."

"Yeah." Lois nodded. "Did you know his company just bought a large block of warehouses on the waterfront?"

"No." Bruce looked up at Lois. "What did you find out?"

"Only that Christine was complaining about all the money that got shelled out for it, and Fredo told her that the warehouse was very important. It didn't sound like olive oil importing important. Fredo seemed very concerned about me hearing more than I did." Lois kicked her high heels off and leaned her head on Bruce's shoulder. "Did you find out what you wanted from Lex?"

"Not as concretely as you got your little tidbit, no." Bruce said, putting his arm around her. "Good job, partner."

"Hey, I'm all about teamwork." Lois grinned. "I hope you and Clark can find Karen's dad, Bruce."

"Me too." Bruce replied, his mind working the angles of this new information. He really needed to get back to the cave. Those warehouses, and Fredo's capo brother were the keys Bruce needed, not just for finding Dr. Starke, but for getting his hands on the people responsible for killing Dick's parents.


	13. Movement

It was the lowest that William Starke had ever been. Not knowing if his wife was alive, or where his daughter was tearing Dr. Starke apart. He'd been having chest pains since he had discovered that Karen was missing, and right now those pains were intensifying. A heart attack would not be out of the question, given the way they were creeping from the left side of his chest up his neck and into his jaw. His hands shook over the samples that Lex had provided, and Dr. Starke closed his eyes, against the pain and the image that had sprung to mind of the other embryos that had been destroyed only caused the throbbing pain to get worse. Lex had asked for a new clone, a male one, and the samples were very similar to that of Karen. These, however, did not have the human strain mingled with them. They were completely alien. It was impossible, but William Starke was determined to not comply this time. No force on Earth would be able to make him create another clone. He just needed to stall for time.

"Yo, Doc." One of Piero's thugs came into the makeshift laboratory and set down a tray. "You look hungry. I brought you some food."

"Take it away." Dr. Starke muttered, sliding the first sample into his microscope. "I'm not hungry."

"You ain't now, but you might be later." The other man said, looking at the tray longingly. "That does look really good."

"Tell Lex Luthor that I can't do anything with these samples. They're old." Dr. Starke pulled the slide out of the microscope and dropped it on the floor, reveling at the tiny shattering sound it made. "The DNA needs to be fresh for a viable product."

Looking down at the broken glass, the goon nodded. "Huh. That so? They ain't so smart, huh? Giving you old samples?"

"No." Dr. Starke answered. "They ain't, indeed." He could only hope that stalling would somehow give Bruce Wayne a chance to find him. If he had to destroy every sample they gave him in the process.

Clark flew into the cave opening, through the cloud of bats he'd stirred up as he zoomed past. Chloe was alone at the computer, still working the angles of relation between Dick and Gianni. He landed, and smiled weakly as Chloe turned. "Hi."

"Clark." Chloe went to him and wrapped her arms around his waist. Still smelling of ozone from his flight and feeling slightly cold Clark seemed to grab onto Chloe as if he needed her to keep from drowning. "I just met Karen. Oh my God." She looked up into his face, and Clark nodded, looking tired. "Clark, what is it?"

"Lex wasn't home, you know that." Clark didn't release Chloe, but he relaxed his grip on her a little. "But Dr. Starke is missing, Chloe. His house…"

Chloe nodded, raising a hand to his lips. "We haven't told Karen yet. Kara has just introduced her to Dick, and Barbara went home. Bruce and Lois went out after Lex."

"And have just now gotten home." Bruce came into the Batcave. "Lois went up to see if the kids were getting ready for bed. Clark, I told her Karen was a relative of yours." Bruce shrugged and sighed. "It was complicated knowing you before your family started arriving, Kent."

"Tell me about it." Clark shook his head. "Did you see Lex?"

"I did." Bruce sighed. "He's in with the Bertinellis. Crime family, pretty powerful here in Gotham City and along the coast. I managed to snag a sample from Fredo Bertinelli when I said goodnight, some skin." Bruce took a small vial and handed it to Chloe. "Drop that in the analyzer and see what we get. I'm looking for a fairly close match."

Chloe did as she was told, and the computer began working. "What makes you suspect them in connection with Dick, Bruce?"

"What doesn't?" Bruce shrugged. "Something about Fredo tonight. The way he looked, reminded me of Gianni. Younger, maybe, but then he smiled and I thought, that's Dick Grayson. It's there, I know it."

The computer hummed, and then a report printed out, sliding onto a tray. "Well, there it is." Clark reached over and read it. "DNA match is close, Fredo is definitely related to Gianni, and Dick."

"Bingo." Chloe looked at Bruce. "What now?"

"We keep them from getting to Gianni and Dick. And I still have to figure out what the hell happened to Dr. Starke." Bruce pinched the bridge of his nose, thinking, and then blinked as if clearing his mind for the next challenge he had to master.

Chloe held out her hand to Clark. He took it and turned to Bruce. "Whatever you need us to do, Bruce, just tell us."

Bruce smiled, a small, tight smile, and nodded. "I want Chloe to get some sleep. There's been enough hacking and internet espionage tonight to put us all away for a long time. Clark, you and I need to go out again. This time to find Dr. Starke. It seems our friend Fredo just purchased a lot of waterfront real estate and I want to find out why."

"Let's go." Clark agreed, his eyes hard and an edge in his voice that Chloe did not recognize. She pulled on his sleeve, and Clark turned, his face softening. "I'm sorry, Chloe. This is big, and it means that Lex can copy us – Kara, me. It's what my dad was afraid of."

"Be careful, Clark." She smiled up at him weakly. "If Lex can make clones…"

"I'll be careful." Clark bent and kissed her quickly. "Keep an eye on the girls."

"So, you can do all these things and you're here, doing nothing." Karen asked Kara as the other girl emerged from the bathroom in her pajamas. "Like a doll in a dollhouse." Lois had just left them to get herself settled for the night. A tray of hot chocolate and cookies sat on a pink chintz ottoman, and Karen was sitting in the matching bedspread, Streaky in a ball beside her, purring madly.

"Now, wait a minute." Kara replied, fixing Karen with a hard look. "I'm still learning what I can do. I've only been here on Earth a few months."

Karen nodded thoughtfully, drawing her legs up under her on the bed. "What was Krypton like?"

"It's beautiful, well, it was beautiful." Kara sighed. "I have to remember to say was. It just doesn't seem possible sometimes, that it's all gone. The sky was the same as here, it was light during the day and dark at night, but it was green and we had three moons. I had no powers there. I was just normal, like Chloe or Lois. I went to school, had friends." Kara pulled her long blonde hair over her shoulder and twisted it thoughtfully. "It's been strange, because things here are very much the same, but I'm so different. Sometimes I feel like everything around me is made of glass."

Karen nodded. "I know. I can relate to that. One time, I wasn't thinking and I opened the refrigerator and pulled the door completely off. Another time, I put a hole in the floor of our kitchen. I was fighting with my mother and stomped my foot." Karen smiled sadly. "I miss my mom."

"I miss mine too. At least you'll be able to see yours again." Kara sat down on the bed beside Karen. "What else can you do?"

"I can shoot heat from my eyes, and I can freeze things with my breath, when I want to. I can fly." Karen looked at Kara and shook her head. "We don't really look that much alike, now that I really look at you."

"You don't think so?" Kara raised a hand to her own cheek, almost insulted. "Clark did say that you weren't a perfect copy of me. You are very pretty."

"Pretty." Karen stood, and walked to the window. "You are the first girl even close to my age that I've ever met. I've seen them, when I went shopping with my mom and then on television, but that's it. I'm a freak. More of a freak than you, for all that you are from some alien planet, too." She crossed her arms under her breasts and sighed.

"Well, if I'm from an alien planet, and you are my clone," Kara said, a smile stretching across her pretty face, "Then you are from an alien planet too. And just as much a freak as I am." Her smile faded a minute, and then brightened. "Get dressed."

"Why?" Karen looked down at her grey pajamas. "Where are we going?"

Kara grabbed her discarded jeans and t shirt as she walked toward the bathroom. She turned and grinned at Karen brightly. "I'm going to show you Krypton. I'm going to take you to the Fortress."

Dick made his way downstairs and listening carefully. He couldn't see through walls or hear across the house like Kara could, but he was determined to find his benefactor and ask him some questions. There had been a lot of activity today, and while Dick was exhausted, he couldn't sleep, either. He heard the low rumble of male voices and quickly slipped into the shadows.

"I don't know, Clark. It's probably too much to hope for that both issues would resolve at once." Bruce was saying to Kara's cousin, who was listening intently. They were both dressed in black. "What I do know is that if the Bertinelli's are involved with Lex…."

"Anything is possible, I know." Clark stopped, and in an instant, Dick felt himself lifted off the floor by his neck, his sneakered feet in the air. "Dick? What are you doing?" Clark set the younger boy down, and Dick rubbed his neck, glaring at his friend.

"Geez, Clark. I was going to get a soda from the kitchen and…" Dick felt Bruce's dark eyes on him and faltered in his lie. "I wanted to find you guys and ask what's going on. Are you investigating my parent's death?"

"Thank you for not lying." Bruce said simply, and then gestured toward his study. "We need to talk."


	14. Sanctum

Dick Grayson had heard the word "study" used to describe a room before. On the television shows he'd watched with his mother, the study was always a large, bookfilled room with stately leather chairs meant for one, but that could easily seat two, curios and interesting artifacts from all over the world on tasteful display on antique tables and cabinets. It is always where the master of the house retreated to mull over his day in those British dramas his mother so loved. The study in Wayne Manor was no different in that regard, but to Dick, the room was false, hollow somehow, as if all the expensive books on the well built and elegant shelves were all simply there for show. They are an illusion, props for the real life show that he was suddenly aware of having a role in. Bruce Wayne was seated at the wide and impressive desk at the far end of the room, as Clark perched on the edge of a leather couch that easily cost what Dick's whole family earned in two months of performing. The effect of the room before Bruce Wayne began speaking had been very different, it was rich, cultured and quietly majestic. Dick wondered if even his perception of Kara's surreal beauty would be diminished by the harsh light of the older man's revelations. Because if what Bruce had just told him were even partially true, then the whole world was surely upside down and Dick went over it in his head again just to be sure it was sinking in.

His family had been killed in an act of senseless and bitter revenge, not an accident, not as a vicious retaliation for his dad renegging on gambling debts. In this very house, another man, related to Dick by a degree of kinship that the sixteen year old aeralist could not comprehend, was asleep. Dick felt his fists opening and closing as Bruce calmly explained the events of the last few nights. But it all passed Dick by in a blur of words. All he could see was his mother, in a twisted heap in the middle of the center ring, Tina beside her, one arm outstretched. His father's body had been separate from the others, the once graceful athlete sprawled at the bottom of the center ring, his trapeze still in his hand. To have lost everything this way...Dick looked up at Bruce and blinked back hot tears of rage.

"We can get these guys, Dick." Bruce said simply, finally. "Clark and I were on our way to investigate a lead that just broke tonight. I want you to stay put while we..."

"No." Dick's rejection was flat and immediate. "Do you think that you found the people who killed my family?"

"I think I found the ones that control the vendetta, yes. They didn't actually kill your family, but they ordered the execution, just the same." Bruce sat back in his chair, his dark eyes giving none of his thoughts away. "You can't come with us, Dick. It's too dangerous."

"I'm not sure I understand." Dick leaned forward,quickly rising out of the wide leather seat. "The guys who are responsible for killing my family are right here, in this city right now, and you are actually telling me I have to stay here?"

"As long as you are a target for these people, yes." Bruce rose as well. "I'm not arguing this."

"That makes two of us." Dick straightened. Not as tall as Bruce, he drew himself up to his full height and folded his arms defiantly. "I'm going."

"Dick..." Clark began reasonably, "This is about your safety."

The teenager laughed bitterly. "Right. He just got done telling me I'm a walking target for hired killers.What am I supposed to do, sit here and wait for them? My being here puts everyone at risk, Chloe, Lois, Kara..." Dick shook his head. "I'm going. I'm helping take these guys down."

Bruce sighed. "If you go, you are on your own, kid. I can only do so much to protect you if things go badly."

"That's my problem, isn't it?" Dick snapped, his dark hair falling in his eyes. "And how are you supposed to protect me out there? You're just some rich guy with a Good Samaritan complex that takes in strays like me."

Bruce nodded slowly, considering this. "It's true. Everything you said is true. You have a right to bring these people to justice for what they've done."

"Damn straight, I do." The teen replied defiantly. Bruce cleared his throat and continued.

"By virtue of your relationship with Kara alone, I'd have helped you as far as I have already...given you a place to stay while you got yourself together. Because of the nature of your family's death, I had to do more. I couldn't let it just go by. I made a promise to myself that my own parent's death would not be in vain. I do what I can, keeping out of the radar as much as possible." Bruce looked down at his desk. "It's my personal quest. Clark is involved now because of Kara, and through her, Karen. But you, Dick. You're young, impetuous and reckless. If you are going to work with me, we do it my way. You follow my lead and do exactly as I tell you. We clear?"

Dick and Bruce locked eyes, and just as the younger man was opening his mouth to speak, Clark nodded and said, "The only intention here, Dick, was to protect you. Things have been hard enough." Dick Grayson turned to stare at his girlfriend's cousin in shock.

"Protect me? Geez, Clark. The damage has been done." Dick laughed again, and shook his head. "When someone shows up to give me the pill to wake me up and get my life back, let me know."

"I understand what you are saying, Dick, I really do. I wasn't much older than you myself when I found out who I really was. It was painful, but I accepted it. Every day of my life is a new test of what my abilities can do and what I will use them for. I understand your desire for revenge against these people but revenge for it's own sake will never be enough." Clark voice was purposeful, determined. "It has to be about more than just vengeance."

"You guys are serious about this." Dick flopped back down in his chair. "I want to see these bastards get what they deserve."

Bruce nodded. "So, you agree to my terms?"

"Yeah, on two conditions. One, I'm not a stupid sidekick in this. I'm not dancing around drooling catchprases and crap, like the comic books. I'm just as much a partner in this as you guys are." He looked Bruce and Clark over, studying their black clothing. "And two, you both remember that neither of you is my father. Simple as that."

The older men looked at each other in surprise. "Seems fair." Bruce picked up a remote control and pressed a button. One of the large, heavy bookcases slowly slid aside, revealing a secret passage. "From this point on, my young friend, everything you see and hear is completely top secret. Clark and I are now trusting you with our lives." He gestured politely toward the newly revealed corridor. "Follow me to the Batcave."

"There it is!" Kara cried out, pointing to the Fortress of Solitude as she and Karen flew toward the crystalline . It shone like an earthbound star against the black night sky of the frozen wasteland. Karen smiled, recognizing the structure from her dreams. It had been real all of it. They flew in to the Fortress and landed, their feet making small shuffling noises in the soft snow that gathered in the doorway. At first, Karen crossed her arms over her chest, afraid to be cold, but the inside of the Fortress was comfortable.

"Kara Zor-El, you have returned." A voice echoed through the vaulted space and Karen looked around in surprise. Kara, on the other hand, calmly nodded and looked up at the rotating sphere over their heads. It pulsed and spun with light and color as they approached and finally settled into a soft green that almost made it seem as though they were underwater.

"Archive, this is Karen Starke..."

"I am aware of Karen Starke. Her time to be here has not yet come." The Archive's even and neutral voice cut Kara off. "_Why have you brought her here without Kal-El, Kara Zor-El? Leave now and do not return without Kal-El."_

The Archive's even and neutral voice cut Kara off. " 

Karen felt the air grow slightly more chilled, and wondered idly if it was because she was not welcome. The stormy expression on her companion's face was evidence enough that Kara had also recognized it. The Kryptonian girl turned her face up to the sphere and spoke again, her voice both sweet and authoritative.

"He's busy. I wanted to show Karen what Krypton was like." Kara told the Archive. "Please?"

"No." Karen looked up at the sphere. "I'm sorry. It's just that this is the closest I've ever felt to feeling like I belonged…"

"_You have a purpose, Karen Starke_._ It is up to Kal-El and Kara Zor-El to help you discover it."_


End file.
